The Dwarven Disaster
by the47thcardinal
Summary: Following the adventures, or misadventures, of a group of dwarves.
1. Chapter 1

-1Drin patted his horse's head as he watched the caravan pass. He knew they could not see him, or any of his companions. Twenty members of the Red Brigade were hidden in the copse of trees along side the road. The Brigade's leader, Red Brannock sat on his horse a few feet away watching as well. His fingers clenched around the stock of a crossbow, already cocked and ready to fire. Drin looked to his leader with admiration. For five years, he had been a member of the gang. Pickings were usually slim, a wagon here, a poor family there. Every once in a while, a big score came in. Like the one the Brigade was about to attack. The word was that a rich noble was transporting gold, and a lot of it. Being the haughty type, he forwent the security, thinking speed would get his gold where it needed to go. Drin chuckled. This was going to be easy, he thought.

Red Brannock raised his crossbow, aimed and fired. The lead wagon driver screamed out in shock and pain as the bolt stuck into his arm, pinning it to his chest. He fell to the ground. Immediately after the shot was fired, the other members burst from the trees, waving swords and yelling. The effect was immediate. The remaining drivers had no intentions of dying and lifted their hands in surrender. Drin frowned. He wanted to fight. He dismounted with the others and rounded up the drivers, binding them together on the ground. When he finished, he started to walk towards one of the covered wagons when he heard a sound. He snapped his fingers twice to get the attention of his companions and eased his sword from its sheath. Perhaps a young lady in need of attention, he mused with a smile. He raised a hand towards the wagon cover when he heard something different. It sounded like laughter. No. Giggling. Giggling? A quick glance over his shoulder to make sure his fellows were ready and he pulled the cover from the wagon.

"BOO!" A small armored figure wearing a wooden bucket for a helmet yelled out.

"Wha...?" Drin stammered, stepping back.

As he moved back, he took the cover with him, revealing not gold or jewels, but five individuals, armed and armored. The leapt out of the wagon and scattered, engaging the brigands. Drin could only gape as the little bucket-wearing figure ran towards him, wielding what appeared to be a large iron skillet. As the pan connected with his kneecap, he fell, conveniently lowering his head into the range of the little warrior. The last thing Drin heard was the clucking of a chicken.

"Git 'em!" One of the dwarves yelled out, as he threw an axe, splitting the head of a brigand open wide for all to see. Before his feet hit the ground, he had a mace readied. He charged at two humans. His mace swung across, smashing the soldier's shield to pieces. The weapon continued through, shattering the man's arm and sending him to the ground. The other soldier swung his hammer at the occupied dwarf, but it glanced off the shoulder. The red bearded dwarf looked to the hammer swinger and laughed.

"Eh? Gimme that. Lemme show ye how it be done."

He grabbed the hammer from the stunned man, reversed the grip and swung up, connected the face of the hammer with his chin. His head snapped back as he fell to the ground.

"That's how ye swing a hammer!" The red bearded dwarf said with a chuckle, as he looked to see the progress of his fellows.

Another dwarf, this one bald with a long braided blond beard and wearing breaches and a crossed baldric seemed to have things under control as well. He swung a massive maul, taking out a man's legs. He used the momentum of the weapon to bring it around and down, effectively ending the man's chances of ever breathing again. He grinned at the red bearded dwarf and turned to find more prey.

Yet another dwarf was busy at work. This one had black hair tied into multiple braids and a well kempt beard fought off a brigand with two hand axes. He seemed pressed, stepping back and barely blocking the sword strikes. Just as the man sensed victory at hand, the dwarf grinned, and dropped his axes as he dove forward underneath the errant swing of the sword. The two tumbled down a slight incline into a gully where they came to a sudden stop. The loud crack of the human's head striking a rock signified the end of the contest.

Red Brannock watched from his horse as his Red Brigade was systematically slaughtered by the dwarves. Furious, he kicked his horse into a run and charged. The small figure wearing the bucket helm waved at him.

"You die first!" He snarled at the dwarf.

He only heard giggles as he swung his sword at the dwarf, who ducked out of the way. Red reigned his horse around and charged again, this time running over the hapless figure. Red jumped from his horse and stood over the prone figure, which was still giggling. Infuriated, Red placed the tip of his sword at the neck of the giggling dwarf and yelled to the others.

"Let us go, or your friend dies!"

The red bearded dwarf laughed and looked back at the wagon.

"Kendrac?"

The fifth dwarf had remained in the wagon. With a stubby hand he brushed the mop of blond curls from his face and stood up.

"RUM! Burn time!" He hollered. He pointed his hands towards Red and the giggling dwarf and began to recite what seemed to be a recipe for cookies. Half way through, a ball of fire left his hands and hurtled towards Red, engulfing him and the prone dwarf in fire. Kendrac giggled and the other dwarves simply watched. Red screamed in pain and fell to the ground, rolling in an attempt to put out the fires. He failed. The other members of the Red Brigade dropped their weapons and ran. Partially because they had just witnessed their leader burned to death, and partly because the prone dwarf stood up and started towards them, giggling and on fire.

"Rom, let them go." The red bearded dwarf said.

"Hrm? No hugs?" the fiery dwarf pouted. He then sat down and waited for the fires to go out..

"Rum still burn! Dis ok, I'sa Klerk!" Kendrac babbled as he finished the cookie recipe, soaking Rom with a sudden deluge of water. He giggled, as did Rom.

The bald dwarf shouldered his massive hammer and walked towards the other two, shaking his head.

"I dinna ever believe it, till I seen it" Toren said with a smirk. "A flamin dwarf. Who'da thunk it?"

The black haired dwarf grinned. "Aye, Them two be odd. That be true. Armin, where'd ye find 'em?"

The red bearded dwarf shook his head as he reclaimed his throwing axe. "That be a story fer another day, Strom. Come, leave us ta get these fellows back on the road."


	2. Chapter 2

-1

Once the dwarven band finished off the brigands, they road the rest of the way to town with the caravan. In one wagon were the three Red Brigade members that survived the ill-fated assault, bound and gagged. Along with them were the heads of the others members and their leader. Drin groaned as he regained consciousness. He blinked, looking around. 

"What happened" He moaned.

A furry blond head took this opportunity to make itself known by poking through the tarp of the wagon.

"Yous be 'live, hmm?" He (it?) said with a giggle. "Mesa Klerk. Mesa heal ye. Rum hit ye good wit da pan!" 

Drin could only gape at the sight before him. 

"Errr...I...uh...am fine." He finally managed to get the words out.

The blond dwarf nodded, the two pie plates belted to his head rattling. He looked as if he was about to speak when he vanished suddenly, as if pulled away from the wagon. Drin look to his surviving companions, who just shrugged and looked away. He sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes and wishing he had never gotten out of bed this morning.

Armin yanked Kendrac from the wagon. The blond dwarf tumbled to the ground and rolled, somehow managing to find his footing again, cinching up his oversized robes and wandering away. Armin sighed and looked to his companion, Strom. 

"Sometimes I do be wonderin' why I keep lettin' them come along." He grumbled

"Oh, come on," Strom replied, "They ain't that bad. Ye just lost yer sense o humor is all" 

Armin's only reply was a glare as he walked forward to the caravan master.

"It's gettin' late. We camp there." He said, motioning to an area slightly to the north.

The caravan master started to complain, but was silenced by a look from the surly dwarf who marched ahead to check the area. The tall dwarf wielding the maul slipped up beside Strom.

"What's 'is probl'm?" He said, switching his maul to his left shoulder. "He been in a foul mood fer weeks."

Strom shrugged. "I dun know fer sure. Mebbe somethin ta do wit the human fella he wa talkin to at the last town. He's not fer sayin though."

Strom ran a hand through his beard and shook his head, his braided hair flicking around. The party made camp. The wagons were circled around the site and the horses fed, rubbed down and hobbled. Only then did the dwarves allow themselves the luxury of relaxing, disarming, and eating. Armin, Strom, and Toren all took turns walking the perimeter as the light of day surrendered to the coming darkness. One of the caravan drivers approached Armin as he walked and handed him an aleskin.

"For you master dwarf, your plan worked perfectly." he said with a smile.

Armin shook his head and declined the ale. "Not so. Wanted more prisoners."

The man nodded, then spoke up once more. "Take a rest Master Dwarf. We shall watch for a time."

Armin nodded and returned to camp, sitting by the fire and accepting a leg of rabbit from Strom. Toren joined them a few moments later and the three sat in silence. For a few blissful moments, there was quiet, then it happened.

"MINE!" 

"NO! It's a MINE!"

"Gives back. Rom's fish!"

"NO! ME! ME FISHESSSSSS!"

Toren and Strom looked up at the ruckus. Rom and Kendrac were in the midst of a mighty tug of war with a fish. Toren watched for a moment, then looked to the others, a quizzical look on his face.

"Ummm..." He started, but was interrupted by the two lunatic dwarves rolling right into him and bowling him over, still arguing about the fish. Toren yelped and fell backwards, kicking the rabbit leg from Armin's hand. Strom fortunately was unharmed. The two rolled across the fire and passed the three dwarves. Rom, now devoid of his bucket helm released Kendrac as he furiously fought to keep his wiry black beard from blocking his vision of the blond dwarf. Finally, he stuffed it into his belt and stalked off after Kendrac who was giggling as he caressed the head of the fish in his hand.

"Nice Fish" 

The fish, however was having none of it and wriggled out of his hands and into the darkness. Toren watched, dumbfounded.

"Where did he get a live fish?" he asked.

Strom and Armin both shrugged as they watched the antics continue. Rom had caught up to Kendrac and was sitting on him.

"Klerk wants da fish, Klerk gets ALL da fish." Rom said, albeit a bit muffled, as his beard had pulled free and was covering most of his face. He pulled a pouch free from his belt and grabbed Kendracs' leg, which he proceeded to stick into the pouch. As the other dwarves and now most of the caravan members watched, Rom stuffed the blond dwarf completely into the pouch.

"Pouch of holding." Strom murmured as he watched.

Rom put the pouch on the ground and grinned, stuffing the beard back into his belt again.

"Now da Klerk gets ALL da fishes."

Before any could ask what he meant, The pouch twitched, the bounced then twitched again. Rom knelt down, a curious look on his face, and peered at the pouch. Without warning, a stream of water spurt from the pouch and soaked Rom.

"HEY! Had bath this month!"

Then, a soggy blond head popped out of the bag, complete with fish in his mouth.

"Mmmgghmmmph" Kendrac tried to speak, but was failing due to the fish.

Rom quickly grabbed the strings of the pouch and tied it, preventing Kendrac from either returning into the pouch or climbing the rest of the way out. Kendrac looked very put out as Rom picked up the pouch and meandered back to the wagons and climbed into one of them. Strom and Toren looked back at Armin, who simply shook his head.

"It's a long story."


	3. Chapter 3

-1

The next day found the grouping on the road once more. By noon, the city walls were within sight. Toren sighed audibly.

"An ale is gonna taste so damn good."

The other dwarves nodded, Strom adding an affirmative grunt.

"Ale?" Piped up a muffled voice.

"Ale?" Chirped another.

Armin glanced over at the closest wagon. A blond mass of curls was hanging upside down underneath the wagon, a giant grin on the face, so big in fact that it seemed almost ready to encompass the entire head. Another head, or bucket rather, appeared next to it, an eye peering through the ear hole. Armin groaned.

"What are ye lads up ta now?" 

Amidst giggling, the two managed to answer. "Camelflags" 

Strom blinked. "Camel what?"

Kendrac snickered. "Hidin'"

"Ahh...Camouflage." Toren offered, to which the bucket shook up and down rather violently, knocking the both from the wagon.

"But now we's home. Time ta drinks!" The blond dwarf said, spitting out a mouthful of dust.

"Yesyesyes! Drink!" Rom replied. He stood up and grabbed his bucket helm. "HEY! Who turnt out da lights?" He began wrenching the helm back and forth on his head. Kendrac climbed up onto his shoulders and began to tug as well. Armin sighed.

"Aye. An ale do sound good. 

By the time the sun dipped behind the mountains, the caravan had reached the city. The dwarves were paid and the caravan drivers dispersed with their goods to find a place to set up. Armin, Strom and Toren took the prisoners to the local constabulary, leaving Kendrac and Rom to find a tavern.

"Are ye sure lettin them two off alone be a good idea?" Strom asked.

"Git a movin' ye durned fool." Armin shrugged as he shoved one of the prisoners forward. "I never know 'bout them two. But first things first, I be wantin ta speak with the chief 'bout these three.

Once inside, the three survivors of the failed attack were locked away. The tall human who was in charge of security in the city studied the three dwarves over the bowl of the pipe. He puffed a few times then scratched his beard.

"You three beat up on a whole band of these Red brigands, you say?" He asked.

Armin replied in the affirmative. "Aye, we three, plus two others. "

The human tamped out his pipe and leaned back, steepling his fingers together.

"And you want a reward I suppose?"

"We ain't a charity pal, we fight fer coin." Toren responded. The large barbarian-like dwarf was leaning on the handle of his maul, his stern visage glaring at the constable.

"Yes, of course." He reached into a drawer and pulled out three pouches of coin, handing one to each. "a hundred gold in each pouch, for your work. The lands are that much safer with a few less Red's to cause trouble.

The three dwarves nodded their thanks and turned towards the door.

"However, I can triple that if you do something for me."

The three paused and looked at each other briefly, then looked back at the human. Armin raised a furry red eyebrow and grinned ever so slightly.

"Aye? do be tellin"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, the patrons of the Flogged Mermaid were about to get a surprise. Gort, the bartender was happily wiping down his bar. A retired half orc adventurer, he had owned the Flogged Mermaid for 20 seasons and took great pride in its appearance. The windows were clear, save for the two that were stained glass. The tables and chairs were all polished mahogany as was the bar. He had a stage built for entertainment as well. Some nights, the Mermaid was packed full, as it was the best place in town for anything from music, to poetry to burlesque shows. Tonight promised to be the best yet. A troupe of gypsy's had arrived and had sought out Gort's tavern.

"Miryam, make sure those tables are spotless. Genine, I want that stew to be perfect. Synthia, make sure your girls are friendly tonight. I saw a merchant caravan come through today, we want to make them welcome." Gort dealt out his instructions to his employees.

"Yes Pappa bear." The three intoned. They curtsied politely, then went about their duties, giggling and tittering. Gort hated that nickname, and they knew it. Despite his fearsome visage of greenish skin, tusks, and bulging muscles, Gort really was a teddy bear, at least around his girls.

"Grrrrrr!" he snarled at the girls, who shrieked with faux fear and scattered. Gort grinned. He heard the door open and turned to greet his first guests of the night. His smile fell as he watched Rom and Kendrac trying to enter at the same time, finally popping through and landing in a heap of feet, hair, robes and giggles.

"Oh gods!" Gort groaned. "Dwarves."

Rom popped his head up and looked around

"Dwarfs? wheresa dwarfs?"

Kendrac stumbled to his feet and kicked Rom in the arse. "Wesa dwarfs!" 

Rom grinned sheepishly through his beard. "oh yeah!" 

The two ambled up to the bar and spent the next few moments trying to climb up onto the barstools. Once there, they looked around for the bartender.

"Barkeep! wesa thirsty!" Kendrac yelled. Rom just giggled.

Gort sighed and walked back behind the bar. Maybe they'll leave soon, he thought. He said, "Yes? what can I get you?"

"Ale!" the two shouted at the same time, then giggled some more.

"Just two?" Gort asked, trying to maintain his calm

Rom and Kendrac looked at each other with confused looks on their faces. After some quick whispers, Rom grinned and set a pouch on the bar.

"We wants two. Barrels" Rom said.

Gort took the pouch and looked inside. He blinked, not once but three times, then closed the pouch. "Mathias!" He bellowed.

A large muscular man poked his head out from the kitchen. "Yea boss?"

"Bring up two barrels of ale for these dwarves." Gort ordered. "and set them up as far from the stage as possible."

"Yea boss" Mathias disappeared, and reappeared a few minutes later with another man and two barrels. The dwarves' eyes threatened to burst from their sockets as they saw the ale. They hopped down off the barstools and ran towards the barrels, shoving the men out of the way. With practiced ease, each dwarf popped the lid of their respective barrel and scooped a mug into the golden liquid. Gort slumped against the wall, and put a hand against his forehead. This was going to be a long night. He knew it.

A few hours later, Armin Strom and Toren left the constable's office.

"We gonna have enough coin ta start our own brewery" Toren chuckled.

Strom nodded. "Aye, and all we gotta do is do what we do best: bash heads.

Armin allowed himself a rare grin as he nodded in agreement. "Aye. Speakin of ale, leave us ta find the two loons, yes?"

Before Strom and Toren could reply, a loud crash split the silence of the night. All three looked at each other and shook their heads.

"5 gold says we find what made that sound, we find them." Strom offered.

Armin quirked a brow. "Always makin the bad bets. Ain't that how ye lost yer finger?" 

Strom coughed . "C'mon then." He said as he ran off towards the commotion. Toren ran off after him, and Armin followed, allowing himself a rare chuckle.

The sight they found was one to remember. The commotion was coming from inside a tavern called the Flogged Mermaid. There were patrons streaming from the door, and a few through the windows, or rather the holes where a window once resided. The strains of a dwarven drinking song emanated from within, along with the clucking of chickens.

"Chickens?" Toren and Strom looked at each other then to Armin, who shook his head. 

The three stepped inside. What they saw was pure bedlam. Rom was hanging from the remnants of a crystal chandelier, throwing live chickens at the patrons below. The patrons were divided between trying to catch the flying fowls and fighting the gypsies. Working girls, and serving wenches were also in the midst of the melee. A half orc sat in a corner, crying apparently. None of this compared to the sight in the center of the tavern. Standing almost twelve feet tall was Kendrac. His mad mop of blond curls hung down to his knees. His pie pan helmet rattled and clanked as his head moved from one side to the other. His oversized white robes however, seemed not to have gone through the change. Kendrac seemed more like a very tall sumo wrestler, his robes having remained their normal size as he grew. They were stretched beyond their limits, that much was obvious, as Kendrac was in apparent pain. He swung a meaty hand, sending Rom and the chandelier crashing to the wall, nearly hitting Armin and the other two, who barely managed to avoid the shattering glass. Toren was first to his feet and he grabbed Rom.

"What did ye two do?" He bellowed.

Rom shrugged. "We wanted more ale, but the ugly one said no, so da klerk said he make ours bigger. He goofed.

Toren shook his head and was about to reply when a flying table cut him off. Polished mahogany shattered across his chest sending him and Rom out the door in a heap. Armin looked towards the source of the flying table and saw a group of the patrons, pushing Kendrac backwards. With a crash, Gort's finely crafted bar became a large pile of kindling and toothpicks.

"OOFS!" Bellowed out the large blond dwarf. "Me gots splinters!"

Armin sighed and waded into the fracas, tossing patrons and gypsies alike out of his way. He walked right up to Kendrac and rolled him over, ignoring the occasional badly thrown mug or table leg. He winced as he saw the red polka dotted breeches pinched up into neverland by the robes as he yanked out a few bits of wood. Armin rolled him back over and grabbed Kendrac by the beard.

"C'mon, ye idjit. I canna leave ye two alone fer a minute."

Strom ran over and grabbed a handful of the beard as well, and the two dragged the oversized dwarf out through the door.

"Toren! Grab th' other one and wait fer us outside o town." He yelled, then looked back over his shoulder at the tavern. As they dragged a complaining Kendrac away, the south wall of the tavern creaked, wobbled, and then fell to the ground. Armin shook his head. "Ain't comin' back here ev'r 'gain."

Strom looked over the mass of oversized blond curls at Armin. "Where did you say you found these two?"

Armin took one last look. He saw Gort, standing amidst the rubble, trying to polish a shattered chair. He shook his head and looked away.

"That be a long story."


	4. Chapter 4

-1The next morning, Armin, Strom and Toren sat around the remains of a campfire. A few yards away, Rom and Kendrac slept peacefully, either unaware, or not caring that they were bound hand and foot, as well as gagged. Strom looked over at them for a moment, then back to the other two.

"Tell me again why we gotta take em along?" He asked, prodding a dying cinder with a stick.

Armin leaned back against a rock. "Kendrac can cast spells, as ye saw last night, and Rom be good in a fight." He took the stick from Strom and examined the glowing end. He blew on it, and it flared briefly. "And his immunity to fire do be useful."

Toren looked up from his maul. He was diligently polishing the surface, allowing the runes to be easily visible. "So...we send them into the caves ta create a diversion, then we git in there and smash up good, eh?" 

Armin nodded. "From what the constable tol' me, the place be a network o caves an tunnels. We split up, and take out as many as we can." He placed two fingers around the smoldering stick and extinguished it. "They ain't got nothin' we canna handle, assumin' that boy Drin be tellin' th' truth. All th' same, watch yer arses when we get in there."

The other two nodded in agreement and set about clearing the campsite. Toren began to hitch the donkeys to the wagon, Armin took the waterskins to the river over the rise to fill while Strom kicked Rom and Kendrac to wake them up.

"Wake up, ye lazy bums," he yelled, pulling their gags away. "Git a goin."

Rom's eyes blinked open and peered through his massive bushy beard. He tried to move, but was unsuccessful, due to being tied up.

"Hey!" he complained. "Why for Rom be tied to Klerk?

Kendrac looked around and worked his arms a bit, giggling. "Mesa stucks!"

With that, the blond dwarf began a sing song rhyme, of sorts.

"Me on da ground, 'n all tied up  
and me tinks Rum do look like a duck 

Me wants a ale an' a 'nudder one too  
and a big ol' bowl of yum yum..."

"CLUCK!" Rom offered helpfully. 

"...cluck!" Kendrac finished, then blinked. "uh-oh" 

The ropes that bound the two dutifully slithered off and to the ground. There they writhed around, forming a large ball. Kendrac gave Rom a shove, and the two rolled away from the mass as it continued to grow larger and larger, taking the shape of a large chicken, made out of rope.

"Oooooh" Rom and Kendrac intoned together as they watched the rope chicken take a few tentative steps.

Toren poked his head around the side of the wagon. "oooh?" He asked, then blinked looking up at the bird. 

Strom stepped backwards as well, shaking his head. "Great" he murmured, drawing his axes. "Jus' what I need, a mornin' workout."

The giant rope chicken turned and lifted its giant clawed foot and tried to step on the dwarves, who scattered. The rope claws seemed to be quite sharp as they left furrows in the ground where the bearded ones stood. Its large head came down and began pecking after Rom, who crawled away on all fours.

"Yipes!" he yelled as he barely managed to avoid being pecked. "Me not likin this chicken"

Toren ran towards the bird, maul in hand. He swung, bringing the massive face of the weapon to bear on the knee of the bird, a classic maneuver dwarves have used for centuries to down creatures larger then themselves. This time, it was doomed from the start. The maul impacted the creature's knee, which buckled, but did not shatter, as a bone would. Instead, the ropes split apart and reformed, wrapping around the head of the maul and the dwarf holding it as well. Toren cursed as he was pulled into the beast, disappearing from view, save for one stubby leg, sticking out of the creature's side.

"Ye bastard!" Strom yelled and hurled both axes at the chicken. The sharp edges of the blade sliced through the ropes and spun away, doing no apparent damage, but gaining the creatures attention. It let out a horrific squawk and charged after Strom.

"Oh snap," He muttered as he turned and started to run.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw the rope chicken gaining on him. He cursed his short legs and ran for all he was worth, turning this way and that, barely avoiding the beak as it struck the ground scant inches from him. Had he not been running for his life, he might have noticed that the farther he ran, the smaller the chicken became. Finally he crested the hill and tripped, rolling down the other side, slamming into a returning Armin, sending filled waterskins flying.

"By the gods...ooof!" The two fell to a heap.

"What are ye about, Strom?" Armin growled. 

"Giant...rope...chicken...Kendrac's...spell..." Strom panted.

Armin clambered to his feet and walked up the hill a few feet and picked up the end of a rope. "Ye mean this'n?" 

Strom stood up and scratched his head, confused. "I dinna understand," He frowned, walking towards Armin. "Th' damn thing was right behind me."

Armin cast him a look, then proceeded to follow the rope. On the other side of the hill, they found Toren struggling to his feet, a puzzled look on his face. "Lemme guess. Giant rope chicken?" Armin queried.

Toren nodded, and the three followed the rope back to the campsite. There they found Kendrac and Rom sitting on the ground. Both were beaming with pride. In front of them was the other end of the rope, staked to the ground. 

Kendrac grinned and slapped Rom on the back. "Rum smart dwarf."

Rom oofed and grinned at the three, who just shook their heads. Strom looked at Armin, then lifted his hands in surrender.

"I know. I know. It be a long story."


	5. Chapter 5

-1

After coiling up the rope and stashing it the wagon, the dwarves headed east, toward the lair of the Red Brigade. Armin led the group, his axe over his shoulder. Next came Strom, his dual axes tucked into his belt, his hands resting on the heads of the weapons. Toren followed behind, riding the wagon, working the reins of the two shaggy ponies. His maul resting within easy reach. Behind the wagon a few yards came Kendrac and Rom, both amazingly subdued, or at least seeming that way. They talked in low tones, snickering and giggling incessantly as the 5-dwarf army traveled along the road.

"Woah there!" Toren said, pulling the reins of the suddenly skittish ponies. "What be yer problem?"

Armin and Strom both stopped and looked back at the bald dwarf, and both winced as they heard the sound of two dwarves walk into the wagon, unaware that it had stopped.

"What be th' trouble, Tor?" Armin asked.

The wagon driver shrugged. "Ponies'r spooked. Smellin' somethin' in th' air methinks."

Kendrac's head appeared from behind the wagon with a grin. "Rum did it!"

Strom shook his head and sighed. "I'll go an' scout out th' area"

Armin nodded. Strom quickly removed his armor and handed it to Armin. He took one axe and ran off towards the hills to the north and east of the wagon's position. Toren climbed down from the wagon and hefted his maul. He looked around warily before looking back at Armin. 

"Whatcha thinkin' it be?" He asked.

The red bearded armory shook his head. "I ain't been in these parts fer years. Might'n be orcs, er mebbe goblins. Dunno fer sure." 

Toren nodded and looked back at Kendrac and Rom, who seemed to have gotten into a tug of war with a fish. "Oh no, here they go again."

Kendrac tugged mightily on the fish but Rom easily overpowered the tent-wearing dwarf, and fell backwards, rolling down a hill, clutching his prize. Kendrac quickly dashed after him, tripping over his robes and rolling down the hill after Rom. The sounds of arguing and other noises faded away as the two rolled down the hill. Toren and Armin watched the two for a moment, then sighed. 

An hour later, Strom returned.

"Orcs" He said with a grin. "Whole lot of 'em. Looks like a war party. All gathered 'round a fire."

Armin's eyebrows went up, as did Toren's.

"How many?" the latter asked.

"'Bout 25 er so. Looks like they hit a caravan. Lots o loot scattered 'round, an a couple o human's tied to stakes. Looks like they be plannin' fer dinner."

Kendrac took that moment to appear, fish in hand, robes wrinkled, but clean. "Dinner? Me's hungry!" 

Armin looked at the disheveled dwarf. "Where is Rom?" 

Kendrac beamed and shook a pouch that looked rather similar to one of the pouches Rom carried. "Me gets fish!"

"Let him out, Kendrac"

"Why?"

"Because we..." he paused, shaking his head slightly at a thought. I can't believe I am gonna say this. "We need him ta help fight Orcs."

"Orcs!" Kendrac whooped in delight and opened the pouch and started to shake it. After a few shakes, a somewhat irate Rom plummeted to the ground in a thud. "Orcses Rum!! We play with Orcses!"

Rom rolled a few times and scrambled to his feet, quickly forgetting about his ordeal in the pouch. He and Kendrac began to dance around in circles, chanting nonsense about orcs. Armin nodded to Toren, and they each grabbed one of the lunatic dwarves and started dragging them off after Strom, who had donned his armor and was waiting for them. Together, the dwarves headed back the way Strom had scouted towards the orc encampment.


	6. Chapter 6

-1

Gomp was happy. He had a shiny thing. He turned it over and over in his grubby green hands, mesmerized by the light glinting off the object. Another orc reached over and grabbed at it, and Gomp shoved him away. 

"Mine!" He grunted in his guttural language. "Get own" 

The other orc postured and growled, but Gomp was determined. Defeated, the other creature turned and slinked away. Gomp smiled. It was a good day.

The dwarves reached the top of a hill and looked down at the orc encampment. They were truly foolish, for they had posted only two guards, both of which now lay in bloody heaps far away from the others. Armin looked at the others.

"Ideas?" 

Kendrac and Rom whispered, giggled and snickered, then Rom looked at Armin.

"Klerk puts Rom in the fire, Rom jumps out. Good diver...dever...div..." Rom frowned, trying to find the word.

"Diversion?" Offered Toren.

"Diversion" Rom agreed, his bucket helm bobbing up and down. Kendrac giggled. 

Armin stroked his beard for a moment, then nodded his agreement as well. "Sounds like it be a good idea ta me. All ready?"

The others nodded, reading their weapons.

"Good. Toren, circle 'round part way to th' left, Strom, yerself'll go t'other side. I be here. When Kendrac's spell goes off, hit em hard. Try an save the humans, ifen they be alive.

Toren and Strom nodded and headed off. Armin readied his axe and looked at Kendrac and Rom.

"Ready?"

They both nodded. 

"Then do it." He said and turned to prepare to attack. 

Kendrac stood up, placed a hand on Rom's shoulder and began to speak.

"Me takes a drink, and in a blink, me dunno where he done go  
So me rubs me eyes, and I like pies, and his arse is in the snow"

Rom cocked his head to the side as it began to snow, right over top of him. Armin glanced over his shoulder briefly, shook his head and looked back towards the orcs, as Kendrac completed his casting.

Wif anudder blink, I dun do fink, him goes away VROOM VROOM  
So watch yer back, 'nd yer goldies sack, cuz Rum does no go BOOM!"

And with that, Rom vanished, leaving a small pile of snow.

Gomp continued to eye his shiny thing, when something caught his eye. The fire seemed to have grown bigger, the logs shifting as if to accommodate something. Frowning, he stood and walked towards the fire. He leaned forward and poked at the fire with his rusted sword.

"Owich!" came from within the fire.

"Owich?" repeated a perplexed Gomp. He poked the fire again.

"Ow! Stoppit!" The fire said.

Gomp dropped his sword and backed away, looking at the fire. Suddenly, in a shower of sparks, a figure burst forth from the fire and ran towards Gomp. The orc shrieked and backed away, tripping over other orcs. They blinked and stares, jaws agape. The fiery figure stumbles across the ground after the scrambling orc. With a strange hoot, the fiery figure leapt through air and grabbed Gomp in a blazing hug. The orc screamed in pain as he was buried by the figure. His last thought as his skin melted from his face, was that the figure hugging him was wearing a bucket on its head.

At that moment, three war cries split the night air. The orcs that were not still staring at the thrashing burning figures, looked up and around, grunting in surprise as the other three dwarves ran down the hill, weapons raised on high. What followed could only be described as a disaster. Orcs ran pell mell in different directions, pushing, shoving, biting and cursing as they tried to get to their weapons. One dwarf fell to a flying hammer, its face permanently marked with the runes engraved on the hammer. It fell backwards, knocking down two of its companions. Two orcs managed to find an axe, but neither was willing to relinquish it to the other as they pulled on the weapon in different directions. Suddenly, one orc fell to the ground, axe in hand. He grunted in triumph as he stood, shaking the axe at the other orc, tauntingly. The other orc had a blank look on its face as it fell, an axe imbedded in the back of its head. Strom grinned at the orc and swung his remaining axe, slicing off one of its arms. The orc blinked and stared at his arm, still holding the axe, and never saw the back swing that removed its head.

Toren spun his giant maul over his head as he ran down the hill. An orc, wielding a boot as a weapon ran to meet him. The bald dwarf spun his body and lowered his arms, changing the angle of the spinning maul to come down and back up. The head of the weapon connected with the chin of the oncoming orc, launching him backward into the fire pit. With the maul still moving, Toren pivoted and adjusted the arc of the weapon once more, bringing it straight down on the top of another orc's head. The orc crumpled to the ground, amidst the cracking of multiple bones.

Rom, meanwhile had gone out. The fire had faded from his body, leaving him unharmed. He stood and grabbed his frying pan as he spun around, looking for another orc. He was not to be disappointed. Two of the green creatures were charging at him, one wielding a spear, and the other what appeared to be a portion of a wagon wheel. Rom let out a might CLUCK and ran at them. He swung with the cookware, making a solid connection to the spear wielder's face. The orc staggered back a few steps and fell backwards, his face a bloody mess. The orc with the wagon wheel screamed and ran away, up the hill. Rom turned to give chase, but paused as he spotted Kendrac standing atop the hill. The dwarf was speaking and motioning towards the orc.

"Away you go, way up high, where da birdies fly all day  
Watch out up der, way up in da air, or you are gonna pay"

With a shriek, the orc shot straight up, into the darkening sky, its legs kicking madly but to no avail. Rom squeaked with delight and pointed at three more orcs, trying to climb the hill towards Kendrac. The white robed dwarf giggled and motioned towards them, speaking in his singsong way once more.

"Now you go to, so you no blue, and take yer friend with you too  
"Take a smack instead, upside da head, and den you go boo hoo hoo"

Two more orcs found themselves launched into the air as well, but unlike their hapless companion, these paused and changed directions, hurtling towards Rom. The skillet-wielding dwarf howled with laughter as he readied his pan. As the first one neared, Rom reared back and swung with all his might, connecting with the helpless orc and sending him flying to the other side of the fire. He watched it fly, forgetting about the second orc, who slammed into him, sending them both to the ground. Unfortunately for the orc, Rom was the stronger of the two, and managed to gain the upper hand in the wrestling match that followed. He pulled the orc's arms together, and tied them into a knot. Kendrac clapped his hands with glee as he watched his friend, then blinked as the club from the third orc smacked him. He eeped and started running, speaking yet another spell.

"Hard as a rock, like Rum's head, 'nd when you fall it hurts  
Up it goes, to smack yer nose, cuz it jumps out of da dirt"

As the orc chased after Kendrac, a giant wall of stone burst forth from the ground directly in front of the oncoming creature. Kendrac grinned as he heard a meaty wet thump, and turned around. He walked back to the wall and gave it a little shove. It fell over, crushing the orc.

Armin rolled into the fray like a tornado of death. He swung his axe around, splitting one orc in half at the waist, and on he return swing, he cleaved off the arm of another. He kicked at a third as he released his axe and plucked a mace and flail from his weapons harness. The spiked ball spun on its chain as he swung his mace at a fourth creature. That one ducked, and then grinned. That grin became permanent as the spiked ball of the flail slammed into its head, sticking there. The orc fell to the ground, lifeless, but happy.

Within moments, the orcs were beaten. None survived. The dwarves were for the most part, unharmed. They met in the center by the fire.

"Well done, me friends." Armin grinned through his bloody red beard. "they never had a chance."

The other dwarves all nodded at each other, Rom and Kendrac giggling as usual, and then began to examine the bodies. They found the two humans, alive, but shaken. They gave them clothes and weapons, as well as some coin and directions to the nearest town. Kendrac and Rom rooted through bodies, oohing and ahhing over trinkets and baubles. 

"Oooh! Shiny!" one or the other would say as they picked something up. Toren and Strom looked at Armin.

"We know, we know. It be a long story." they both said in unison, before Armin could reply.


	7. Chapter 7

-1On the eve of the third day from the fight with the orcs, the five dwarves crested a hill that looked down over a large valley. In the middle of the valley was a large cairn of rocks, with a rather large opening. The rocks around the cave seemed to form the head of a dragon. This was pointed out by Rom, who pointed and jumped up and down excitedly.

"DRAGON!! DRAG...mmphh" He shouted with glee before Toren and Strom could drag him down and quiet him. 

"Yeah, now shut yer yap." Strom muttered, looking at Armin, who nodded.

"Aye, That be the place. Th' boy we caught told as how the place looked like a big ole dragon's head." He knelt down and rested an arm across his knee. "Question bein...how we gonna git in there?"

Strom and Toren joined Armin in studying the entrance.

"Canna jus' walk up an knock, eh?" Toren offered.

Armin shook his head, pointing to a few small clumps of rocks. "Nah. Gots watchers, keep look out fer intruders 'n such. We're only three..."

"Five" Interrupted Kendrac, who giggled, then went back to whispering to Rom, who also was giggling.

"Err...yeah...five." Armin shook his head. "We'd be cut down afore we got within a hunnert paces o' th' place."

Strom frowned. "Wait till dark and sneak in..." He blinked, and looked around and the others, then shook his head with a grin. "ehh...never mind that. Dragons sneak better 'an we does."

Three shared a chuckle as the studied the open field before them. Then Kendrac waddled up to them and tapped Armin on the shoulder.

"We hidin in da wagons." He said, nodding emphatically, his blond curls and pie plates shaking furiously.

"What wagons?" The other three asked in unison.

"Dem!" Kendrac pointed off to the east where, at the far range of the dwarves eyesight, a cloud of dust arose. "Wagons." He beamed.

"Huh...how 'bout dat." Toren looked back to Kendrac. "You can tell that's wagons?"

The little dwarf nodded once more, so much in fact, his head seemed ready to pop off, if not for Rom reaching out to steady him.

"Klerk see good!" Rom insisted.

Armin ran a hand through his massive red beard, pondering. After a moment, he gave a nod.

"This is what we'll do..."

As the full moon rose, Mirran's tired face gave way to a slight smile, his destination only moments away. He was tired, they all were. A month they spent raiding villages and towns, taking supplies and coin, treasures and slaves. Fifteen wagons full of valuable items of every kind. He glanced over his shoulder into the wagon he drove. Two pairs of eyes stared back at him. He grinned and reached back to smack the bars. The two figures scrambled back, but continued to glare at him. With a laugh, he turned his attention back to the horses that pulled his wagon. He never felt the slight shift of the wagon, as if something had taken hold. If the horses noted the extra weight, they gave no sign. Mirran gave a flick to the reigns and shrugged, still chuckling softly to himself. Whatever the boss wanted with dwarven females was not his concern.

The first wagon came to a halt right outside the mouth of the cave. Two guards stepped out of the darkness of the cave, halberds at the ready. The driver raised his hand in a salute. 

"'allo boys, we made it back, and with the mother load. Everything from coin to women we got this time, an only lost twelve. Not bad for a months work!" The driver boasted.

The two guards laughed and waved the caravan in. Once through the cave entrance, the wagons were driven down a long corridor, spiraling downward and finally opening up into a large cavern. Men and women came out of multiple passageways to assist in the unloading process. The chests of coin were hauled off through a tunnel to the right, the cases of weapons, down a different tunnel. Crates of silks and food were taken off the wagons as well. Finally, from two wagons with bars, armed men guided the living cargo off to the opposite side of the cavern. A score of human males and females, a few elves, one small halfling, and two ragged dwarves. They were locked into cages amidst taunts and jeers. One unfortunate brigand got too close to the cage with the dwarves, and was grabbed. They pulled and tore and twisted him around until his compatriots could release him. The other's jabbed at the dwarves with long pole arms to keep them away. Although bleeding from multiple wounds, neither dwarf seemed to care, or notice. The unfortunate man was dragged away, amidst laughter from his fellows.

The horses were unhitched from the wagons and lead off to a different portion of the cavern where stables were built. There they were expertly brushed down, fed and watered. The wagons were pushed to yet another portion of the cavern, where they were lined up in rows along with similar wagons. Soon, aside from a few guards by the slave pens, no one remained.

Armin watched from his upside down position under the wagon. Thanks to Kendrac, his fingers and feet stuck fast to the wooden undercarriage of the wagon, as did his companion's. Armin found himself smirking as he thought back to the little dwarf casting his nonsensical rhyming spells. Odd they were, but they worked. He turned his head to catch sight of the others. Both Toren and Strom caught his look and nodded. Kendrac seemed to be asleep and Rom...well...he was stuck underneath the wagons like the rest, but instead of using his hands and feet, it appeared that he had lain in the shallow hole face first instead, and lifted his bottom up to connect with the wagon as it passed over him. Armin sighed and shook his head. The strange little dwarf was battered and dirty, his bucket helm missing one of its branch/horns. But, despite it all, Armin could make one of his beady eyes peering out at him through an ear hole of the bucket, which was twisted a quarter of the way to the right. Carefully, Armin willed the spell to end and, amazingly, Kendrac's words rang true. He easily detached himself from the wagon, one limb at a time. At the same time, Toren and Strom released their hold as well. Rom fell flat on his face.

Once Kendrac was woken up, the dwarves huddled together, far from the guards line of sight and began to plan their next course of action.


	8. Chapter 8

-1

The two dwarves in the slave pen huddled together. The cavern was not exactly the warmest place. Both wore tattered remains of their clothes, no armor and, of course, no weapons. both had beards, though one's was much fuller, a possible indication of an elder. 

"...gonna bite his..." grumbled one dwarf, which garnered a smack from the other.

"Patience. We be gittin' our chances soon."

"Shut up in there!" One of the guards yelled out, rather annoyed. He and his companion were sitting at a table, rolling dice. The annoyed one's pile of coins was diminishing as his fellow guardsman's was growing.

The two dwarves glared at the guard, who turned back to his dice game. As they played, the smaller of the two dwarves tapped the other one on the shoulder and pointed towards the wagon staging area. Waddling out from the wagons was a blond dwarf, wearing pristine white robes, multiple sizes too big, as he seemed to be holding them up with both hands to avoid tripping and falling on his face.

"Izzat a...? Began the dwarf with the fuller beard.

"Shhhh..." Replied the second dwarf, clamping a hand over the other's mouth and whispering. "It do look like one...sorta."

The blond dwarf ambled towards the guards, crossing the length of the cavern and stopping about thirty feet from the guards, who were engrossed in their dice game.

"Scooz?" Said the little dwarf with a grin.

The two guards stood up in a flash of movement, drawing their swords, falling into a ready stance instantly and looking around, before spotting the speaker. They both stared for a moment, before breaking into laughter, pointing their fingers at him.

"Oh! that's rich! Did Mikah put you up to that?" One asked between laughs.

The little dwarf shrugged and simply spoke a word. "Snooze!"

The two guards blinked, and collapsed in a heap, snoring blissfully. The two dwarves in the slave pens, along with the others simply stared. The little dwarf walked up and peered in through the bars. He blinked, eeped, and turn, running as fast as his little legs would carry him back to the wagons. The two dwarves in the cell looked at each other and shrugged, then looked back towards the direction the little one fled.

Armin and the others watched, perplexed, as the dwarf half fell and half rolled under the wagons, his eyes wide. He scrambled on hands and knees past Armin and the other two, and whispered into Rom's...well...eye, as the poor thing had his bucket helm on crooked again. Rom nodded as he listened, then looked at Armin.

"Womens" He said. "Da Klerk say womens with beards"

Kendrac nodded, his face a dark crimson. Armin looked at him, trying to hide his surprise. Dwarven women folk meant a clan in the area, and that meant possible reinforcements if needed.

"Yeah, yeah. did ye take care of th' guards?" Armin asked.

The blushing dwarf bobbed his head. "Sleepy sleepy!"

"Good, then lets go get em out" Strom said as Armin begin to crawl out from under the wagons.

In the pens, the two female dwarves waited.

"Ifen that be a dwarf, it had ta be th' weirdest one I ever saw." The shorter bearded one muttered.

The other shook her head, lifting her hand to point at the group emerging from the wagons. "If that'n was weird, whaddya make o th' one what has a...bucket on his head?"

The two stared in undisguised awe as the five dwarves quickly, and somewhat quietly ran across the cavern floor to the pens. The two female dwarves stood and held onto the bars, as did the other prisoners.

Armin looked in. "Are ye well?" He asked, speaking to all.

His response was a chorus of nods, and murmured replies in the affirmative.

"Good," he said. "Then we be lettin ye out, and yer free ta go."

Strom plucked the keys from the sleeping guards and quietly opened the slave pens. The humans and others streamed out, collecting whatever they could find for weapons, and ran up the tunnel and to freedom. The two female dwarves however, did not. They stood by as the others left, quietly speaking to each other. Finally, one spoke to Armin and his group.

"I be Freija Wilhemina Fleetaxe, and this be Haldis Brightaxe." She motioned to her younger companion. "Call me Wil. We be wonderin ifen yer gonna leave, er mebbe make these slavers pay fer what they done?"

Armin needed only a quick glance over his shoulder, to see the grins of his companions, save for Kendrac who was hiding behind Rom. He nodded and looked back at Wil and Haldis.

"Aye, that be our plan from th' beginnin. I be Armin Gedrin, That be Toren Stonesmasher, Strom Griftor, Rom, and Kendrac be the...one in the tent."

Rom wiggled his fingers, pointing at Kendrac. "Mu mu!"

Toren nodded his greeting while Strom glanced at the two loons, and then to the puzzled looks on the two female's faces. "Yer best off not askin. Now, where'd they stash yer stuff. ye dinna wan'ta be runnin' 'round without yer armor, eh?"

Within moments, Haldis and Wil were armed and armored. Scrounging through the piles of captured equipment, Wil favored a hefty warhammer, while Haldis cradled a battleaxe in her hands. As the seven dwarves were huddled together to plan their next action, a voice rang out through the cavern.

"What!? What in the Nine Hells? Feltan! Sound the alarm!"

As one, the dwarves turned towards the source of the voice. Two of the raiders had come back through a side tunnel and spotted them. One drew a sword and readied it as the other turned to run. He managed only two steps, before a hammer slammed into his head, dropping him. The other one dropped his sword and fled, just barely escaping a second hammer thrown by Strom. 

"Stones!" cursed the braided dwarf.

"Yer aims a bit off, Strom." chided the baldheaded Toren as he shouldered his maul.

"Awright kiddies, we ain't got much time. We gonna have comp'ny here any moment. lets get ready.


	9. Chapter 9

-1

Armin immediately started barking out directions. "Toren, you an Strom git a couple o' them wagons turnt over. When they show, start throwin anythin ye kin find at em. Kendrac, check the lasses. Heal em if they be needin it. Rom...errr...yerself jus stand there." 

Toren and Strom nodded, turning and running towards the wagon depot. With muscles bulging, the two each pulled on a wagon, towards the entrance to the cavern where the attack would come. Rom remained stationary, while watching his friends. Kendrac's head bobbed as he waddled over to the two females, checking them for wounds.

"Pretty ladies hurts?"

Wilhemina nodded, flexing her arm. "Aye, that stoneless bastard put a hole in me arm wit his pointy stick." to accentuate her disgust, she spat on the unconscious forms of the sleeping guards, kicking one.

Kendrac thumped his chest proudly. "Mesa Klerk. Fixes ye right up!"

Two levels below, Malchion was busy tearing into a hunk of meat. His orcish fangs slicing through the flesh easily. As he grabbed a glass of wine, an out of breath Feltan crashed through a door, falling to his feet. Malchion glared at him as his guards leveled their spears at the intruder.

"You have 30 seconds to live. Why have you interrupted my meal?" The half orc growled.

"P...pardon, my lord," The man panted, gasping for breath. "P..prisoners are...escaping! We are... under attack by dwarves!"

Malchion frowned, then drained the wine in the goblet. He rose to his feet, glaring down at the prostrating man. "How many, you worthless maggot? Twenty? Fifty? More?"

"I...I...don't know...I think more..." Feltan stammered.

Malchoin kicked the man in the side, then knelt down, grabbing his head, turning it to face his own. "Then gather the troops and go take care of them. Come back when they are dead, or do not come back at all! You know how She hates dwarves...GO!!" The Half orc gave the man a shove towards the door.

Feltan half stumbled and half ran out of his master's chambers, white as a sheet. He staggered around a corner, running into another man.

"Curses, Rayn. Gather the men. We are being attacked. Main chamber. Send half of the men through the south tunnel. and the rest will come with me, through the north tunnel. We will crush them between us."

Back in the cavern Armin hefted his axe, looking down the tunnel the man had fled through. He rubbed his beard, frowning. "They be a comin. yerselves ready?" He looked to his group, who nodded, save for Kendrac who was still fussing over Wil's wounds. "Come on, Kendrac! Heal them already. I be needin yer tent wearin arse ta be castin spells on em when they git here!"

Rom, Now making a poor attempt at hiding behind a small rock, snickered. "No tent. Mu mu!!"

The blond dwarf stuck his tongue out at Rom, then looked back to Wil, waving his hands and chanting one of his sing song spells.

You was in da cage and gots a poke  
and you gots some big boo boos.

But you be O K, cuz yer wif da KLERK!   
an' Rum sez I wear moo moos.

Wil blinked as she watched her wounds began to knit. "Amazin..." she started, then stared at Kendrac, as did the rest of the dwarves.

Kendrac tilted his head. "What?"

"Yer...changin..." Wil said. 

Kendrac started to reply, but was cut off as a swarm of soldiers started pouring through the tunnel mouth into the cavern. With an eep, he scurried off towards the wall, diving behind some barrels. Armin and the two females turned to face the incoming soldiers, weapons at the ready. The three stood waiting, as the group closed in on them, weapons high.

"NOW!" Armin shouted. 

At the call, Toren and Strom stood up from behind their overturned wagons and began to hurl hammers and stones at the human soldiers. From their other side, a few large rocks came at them as well, Rom giggling as he threw. The sudden rain of pain had the desired effect, as the already sloppy charge broke down immediately, as some broke off for the dwarves behind the wagons, others heading for Rom, and the rest heading for Armin, Wil and Haldis.

Armin grinned through his beard. "Steady lasses...it be time fer yer revenge. ONE!!!"

The three darted forward, towards the charging humans, hammers and axes raised on high, each screaming a dwarven battle cry at the top of their lungs. The effect was immediately apparent. Some of the charging soldiers faltered, and were pushed down by their companions from behind, blindly crushing them underfoot.

"TWO!"

The three dwarves ran full speed into the knot of soldiers, closing suddenly, shoulder to shoulders, and bringing their weapons in close, forming a 3 dwarf wedge with Armin forming the point. Through the human soldiers they ran, knocking them out of the way, and off their feet, disrupting their charge completely, scattering those that remained standing. 

"THREE!"

Armin, and the three dwarves moved away a few feet from the others, each facing outward. They moved, or circled, counterclockwise, weapons ready, each grinning as they lashed out to crush a head or arm of any soldier foolish enough to get close enough. Armin sliced across with his axe, spilling out the entrails of one soldier who dropped his sword and began holding on to his stomach, in a vain attempt to keep his insides where they belong. It was pointless, as the dwarves had circled to allow Wil's hammer to crush the man's skull. He dropped. Another tried to step in to stab at Wil with a spear, but only grazed her side as the point glanced off her armor. Her motion pulled the attacker into the oncoming axe of Haldis who sliced the spear off at the man's elbow. He shrieked and ran, leaving a trail of blood from his severed limb. 

Rom readied his iron skillet as the soldiers approached him. As they neared, he reached into one of the many pouches, and grinned suddenly, beneath his bucket helm.

"Woo! right pouch" he giggled.

From the pouch, he pulled three live chickens, each clucking madly, wings flapping. He reared back and threw the birds into the path of the soldiers, who were understandably taken aback. using that brief distraction, Rom bellowed his own battle cry and charged into battle, clucking madly along with the chickens. His frying pan shattered a knee of one man, dropping him to a heap on the ground. Rom used him to gain height by standing up on him and pushing off, bringing his pan down on the head of another, permanently reducing the soldier's height as his neck literally compressed from the force of the mad dwarf's pan. Another soldier's sword curved in and clanked off the little dwarf's shoulder. Though unharmed, the force was enough to send Rom staggering a bit. He shook his head and charged, goring the man with the branches and propelling him backwards. Shaking his head vigorously , the dwarf managed to get the man's body off his head, though he lost a branch in the process. Another clang and the sound of cracking wood turned Rom around. Another soldier, with a hammer had managed to connect with the dwarf's head. Rom shook his head to clear it as the man raised his hammer to swing again, but instead shrieked in pain, his eyes widening. He dropped his hammer and grabbed his buttocks, turning around. There stood Kendrac, still only a bit over three feet tall, but complete with a long muzzle and horns, a long tail hanging down beneath his robes, and his visible skin covered in brown fur. He snorted and charged again, ramming his horns into the groin of the dumbfounded man, just as Rom smashed him with his frying pan.

Rom looked to Kendrac, puzzled. "Klerk?

Kendrac giggled. "Mooooooooo! hehehehehehehehe!"

Rom giggled as well as the two turned to face the others now approaching with a bit more caution.


	10. Chapter 10

-1

Toren and Strom continued their hail of rocks, having quickly run out of hammers and axes to throw. One of the soldiers paused to nock an arrow and fire at the two. It flew through the air and thunked into the shoulder of Strom, who snarled as he snaped the shaft off.

"Git that cus!" Stom snarled.

Both dwarves stood and hurled their last remaining rocks at the archer. Stroms knocked the bow away, while Toren's caved in the head of the archer. A wry smirk appeared on his face as he looked at Strom.

"Git their attention. I be wit ye in a sec." He instructed.

Strom nodded and stood, pulling his hand axes from his belt and stepping out from the safety of the overturned wagons. He spun the deadly blades slowly.

"C'mon ye mongrels. come an git me!" He taunted.

The soldiers obliged and charged for him. As they approached, a loud, ear splitting crack came from behind the wagons. Out from behind stepped Toren, holding a rather large wooden wagon wheel.

"Catch!" He yelled as he hurled the wheel like a giant disk. Caught off guard, the troops reacted too late, the heavy wooden wheel slamming into group. Only three were aloof enough to avoid the wheel and they advanced on Strom and Toren. The bald dwarf picked up his heavy maul and spun it once, then twice, then a third time. As the head of the weapon completed its third circuit, it smacked into the head of one of the humans, shattering his skull. With the momentum built up, Toren continued to spin the weapon, using it to move himself forward, altering the direction to bring it down on the shoulder of another, just as Strom's first axe cut into the man's side. Leaving the weapon imbedded temporarily, Strom ducked under the poorly aimed slice of the third man and brought his remaining axe up, splitting the man from groin to neck.

"To Armin!" Toren said, holding his maul in two hands.

Strom nodded and wrenched his other axe free. Then the two charged towards the large group that had Haldis, Armin and Wil surrounded. The two crashed through the ring of humans, and joined the other three dwarves in their circle. The five dwarves continued the counterclockwise motion, constantly moving and changing targets, defending each other and in general making life very difficult for the brigands. As Armin's axe cut down another soldier, a slice from his companion tore the blade free. Undeterred, he pulled a flail and mace from his battle harness and continued, smashing the side of the man with the flail, then cracking his jaw with the mace. As he stepped to his left, his eyes widened. Pouring from another tunnel was another group of soldiers.

"Kendrac!! We need yer magics, boy!" He yelled, ducking a spear thrust.

Kendrac and Rom were making quick work of their remaining opponents. Kendrac was trying to gore one of the soldiers when Armin's call came. He looked up and blinked.

"Mooooo?" He uttered as he saw the reinforcements approaching. He started towards them, but was brought up short by a jab to his side from a sword.

"OWIEE!!" he shrieked and began chasing the man, snorting , rather bull like. 

"KENDRAC!!!" Armin shouted. "Quit yer playin!"

The blond minotaur/dwarf skidded to a halt and giggled. The man he was chasing stopped as well when he heard the giggle and looked back only to see the little creature weaving his furry hands around and chanting.

Me likes to run and jump and drink  
and licks da gravy from me dishes 

But when I get ta cooks da meal  
it ends up burned into a crisp...

With assuredness, he thrust his hands forwards towards the man who flinched, but then laughed out loud as he saw that nothing happened.

"Hmmm...ahhh!..." Kendrac giggled

...es!

With a nod, the little dwarf finished the rhyme and a large flaming sphere appeared next to him. Kendrac looked at it, and pointed at the man, who's eyes were now wide with fear.

"Go get im!" Kendrac instructed, and the sphere rolled after the man. The soldier dropped his sword and ran for the tunnels leading the surface, the sphere in hot pursuit. Kendrac then looked to the reinforcements coming from the tunnel and scratched his chin. With a giddy clap of his hands, he skipped towards them. As Rom bowled his way though the men surrounding the other dwarves and takes his place in the circle, Kendrac stood between them and the charging reinforcements. He raised his arms and spoke once more.

If da doors go 'squeek', like Rum's stinky feet  
den ya never sneak around!

Grabs a big ol glop, and a smelly mop  
and ye falls down on the ground!

The ground beneath the charging men became slick as a coating of grease covered the groud. The soldiers as a group began to stagger, slip, then fall. They try and try to stand, only to fall once more. Kendrac giggled even louder as he watched the hapless men. He then tilted his head shaking a finger at a few that were making their way to the edge of the slippery floor. With a grin, he spoke once more.

There once was a man from Nantucket  
And Rum stuck his head in a bucket 

Him runs around, wavin his pan all around,  
but we all know cold falls to da ground.

As he motions, a large wall, made of ice appears, parallel to the ground thirty feet above the struggling soldiers. Kendrac wiggles his fingers at the men as the heavy wall crashes to the ground, crushing the reinforcements. He wiped his hands together and looks back at the circle of dwarves to check their progress.

"Hee Hee Hee! Splat!"


	11. Chapter 11

-1Strom ducked his head as Toren's maul sailed over head and into the stomach of a soldier too intent on Strom to see the heavy weapon approaching. The air whooshed out of his lungs as he crumples to the ground. Mirren, the wagon driver winced as he saw his friend crumple. Only a few soldiers aside from himself remained, and they were not long for this realm. He thought to escape the circle of death the dwarves had created, but paled as two of the dwarves pointed at him and detached from the circle. He recognized them as the two he teased as he drove them to the brigand's hide out. He dropped his spear and lifted his hands in surrender as he fell backwards, tripping over one of his fellow brigands.

"NO! please..." he begged as he tried to crawl away.

"What d'ye think, Wil? let 'im live?" Haldis asked as she and her former cell mate advanced on the cowering Mirren.

Wil bent down and picked up his spear, tossing it to the man. "Pick it up. I dinna kill unarmed men. even cowardly ones like yerself!"

Mirren took one look at the spear, then back at the two dwarves, advancing with murderous looks in their eyes. He shrieked and scrambled to his feet, running for the exit tunnel to the outside. Wil nudged Haldis and pointed to the man's legs, one of which was darkened with moisture. The two females shared a laugh and turned back to the circle, just in time to see Rom flatten the nose of the last remaining brigand with a might and definitive cluck. Haldis shook her head.

"Strange one, that one be, but good with th'...fryin pan." she muttered.

Wil laughed and shouldered her axe as the dwarves gathered together. Armin had recovered his axe as well and had fastened his mace and flail back on his battle harness. None of the dwarves were without wounds, blood covered most of them, but it was near impossible to tell if it was theirs or not. Rom and Kendrac giggled as they drew pictures on each other in the blood.

The bald dwarf looked to the others as he cracked his neck. "We gots tunnels ta check out." He pointed to the three passageways. "Split up, eh?"

Armin nodded as he spit out a bit of blood. "Aye. Yerself an' Strom take that'n. Me an' th' lasses'll take this'n and the loons'll go thataway." He motioned towards the tunnel that brought them into the cavern.

With a shriek of happiness, Rom and Kendrac turned and ran towards their assigned passageway, only to fall to the ground as Rom stepped on Kendrac's tail.

"Mooo?" Kendrac inquired, as he brushed himself off. He thwapped the bucket headed dwarf upside the head and trundled off towards the tunnel, Rom in hot pursuit.

"Yer daft er what?" Asked Strom. "Sendin' them two off by themselfs?"

Armin shrugged and hefted his axe. "They be headin' back outside. What could happen? Now, lets be clearin' out this nest o baddies, yes?"

With a nod, Strom and Toren turned and ran down the left tunnel, while Armin, Wil and Haldis headed towards the right. Elsewhere, deeper in the mountain, a half orc was not nearly as happy as Rom and Kendrac. He roared in anger as he tossed the now dead brigand to the side.

"What do I pay you fools for?" He snarled at two cowering humans. "Kryl will not be happy when she finds out about this. You let a few dwarves come into her home and make a mess of things? Bah!"

He backhanded one of the two men, sending him reeling to the side, the other doing his best to become one with the stone floor, but to no avail. Malchion picked him up by the scruff of his neck and lifter him to eye level.

"Now...listen very carefully, Captain Drevis. Take everyone you can find, and get those dwarves." he snarled into the man's face, "or...would you prefer to tell Kryl yourself of whats happened?"

The dangling man paled and shook his head quickly. "N..N...no...Lord M...M...Malchion." 

The half orc dropped the man to the ground. "Wise...now go. Return to me only if you succeed. otherwise..." He left the threat unsaid, though the man scrambling out of the room heard it loud and clear.

Once outside, the man grabbed another soldier. "Go get the gnolls, and send someone to get Brunk and Grack."

"Yes sir. Captain Drevis" The subordinate nodded and ran off, leaving Drevis to simmer in his own anger. Within moments, the soldier returned with a large, hyena looking beast, wearing armor and wielding a large axe.

"We ready...smash dwarfs good." The gnoll said.

Drevis nodded. "Take the east tunnel, clear out anything short and bearded...no survivors." He looked to the human. "Are they ready?"

The soldier nodded. "They are, Captain."

"Good," replied Drevis. "Send them down the western tunnel...have them wait in the transfer room. Like the gnolls, make sure they leave no dwarf alive. Report to me when they have succeeded. I will be waiting here."

The soldier, nodded, then turned and ran out to complete his duty, chuckling softly. This should be good, he thought. So long, dwarves. 

Armin and the two females ran down the tunnel, not even trying to be quiet. Their armor and weapons made stealth an impossibility. They came across a wooden door on their left. Without even slowing, and in actuality speeding up, Armin lowered his shoulder and hit the door, shattering it into splinters. He stumbled in, followed by Haldis and Wil, surprising the other occupants of the room. Six soldiers thought to hide from the dwarven killing machine and attack them from behind. Instead the one soldier who was listening by the door found himself being trodden upon by three pairs of heavy iron shod boots, crushing his ribs and skull. Armin hurled his massive axe at another soldier, the blade imbedding in the man's chest and splitting his ribcage and shearing off his left arm. Another , shocked by the sudden turn of events, stared at his dying companion, not seeing the dwarven missle as Armin tackled him and began to beat the man to a pulp with his armored fists.

Haldis grinned at Wil." Guess we best be killin' some too, 'afor he gits em all." She raised her own battle-axe and charged into the fray, feinting a slice at one of the soldiers. He ducked, falling for the feint, then realized that he was not the target as the leg of the man to his left fell to the ground with a meaty wet thump, followed by a scream.

"Aye" Wil replied, running after Haldis and jamming the butt of her hammer into the gut of the last man, and bringing the head up to meet the man's lowering skull. A loud crack followed, along with a groan and a thump as the soldier collapsed. Together, the two female dwarves turned towards the last standing human who wisely dropped his sword and ran out the door and down the hall towards the cavern. They laughed and looked over at Armin who had finished turning the man's face to a bloody mess and was collecting his axe. He started to shrug, then lifted his hand suddenly, for quiet.

"Shhhh...ye be hearin' that?" He whispered.

The other two craned their necks to listen, then looked to Armin.

"Gnolls." They said in unison.

"Aye...gnolls...an' all fer us" He said with a grin as the three exited the room and started down the hallway once more.


	12. Chapter 12

-1

In another tunnel, Strom and Toren ran, not making as much sound, mostly due to Toren's lack of armor and the fact that there were only two, instead of three. As they rounded a bend, they exited into a round chamber. On the other side stood four soldiers, human in appearance, aiming crossbows at the dwarves.

"Down an' roll!" Toren yelled.

As the crossbow bolts were fired, the two dwarves dove forward rolling into summersaults, letting the bolts sail harmlessly overhead. Startled, three of the soldiers dropped their bows and drew their swords, and the fourth tried to reload his weapon. Toren came to his feet first and spun, using his momentum to get his maul moving. The heavy head of the weapon moved through the air as he twisted his body. The closest soldier tried to use his sword to block the weapon and failed as the heavier maul shattered the inferior sword, driving through the block to the man's chest, shattering the bones within. Without stopping, he twisted and spun once more aiming for the next human who wisely ducked the maul instead of trying to block it. He reached out with his sword and pierced the leg of the bald dwarf who growled and moved back, only to step forward and bring his maul straight down on the soldier's head, shortening not only his height by a few inches, but his life as well.

Strom rolled to his feet and brandished his twin axes. The soldier attacked, and Strom parried with one axe, and sliced across with his second, opening up a wound in the man's stomach. As the soldier grimaced and doubled over, Strom's first axe came around and neatly lopped the man's head clean off. With a grin, he turned to face the last soldier who had just managed to get his crossbow loaded, and was aiming the weapon at Strom, his hands shaking, fear obvious in his eyes. Strom smirked.

"What ye gonna do w'that, eh?" Strom asked, tauntingly.

The soldier looked from Strom to Toren and back, then shrugged. "The boss'll kill me if I don't, and you'll kill me if I do. Seems I don't have much of a choice."

He pulled the firing mechanism on the crossbow and the bolt leapt from the weapon and towards Strom. As he fired, Toren's maul came down, shattering the man's knee, dropping him to the ground. Strom turned to avoid the bolt, but not fast enough as it struck him in the arm. He growled. 

"Looks like yer right, ye are gonna die, but not quick-like. gonna let ye crawl 'round wit yer knee all busted...mebbe ye'll be lucky and somethin'll come by ye and eat..."

Strom's words trailed off as the floor shook, as if something heavy hit the ground. He blinked, looking at Toren. Again the ground shook, and again as Toren shook his head at Strom 

"That be a giant, er my beard be shaved." The bald, but still bearded dwarf said.

The soldier grinned, despite the pain. "Brunk and Grack. They'll teach you and your friends to go where you ain't wanted."

From the opposite side of the round room, a great shadow loomed, stepping out of the tunnel and straightening up to its full height of nearly fourteen feet. A massive club in each hand, and two heads one looking at Strom, the other at Toren had eyes filled with murderous intent. The beast stepped forward.

"Dwarves...yummm...we likes dwarves." The left head said. "Yessss...delicious..." the other agreed.

The soldier's grin quickly turned to fear as the giant took another step into the room, crushing the injured man beneath its feet. Strom and Toren moved away from each other, to flank the beast and ready their weapons.

As Rom and Kendrac stumbled their way up the passageway, they were overtaken and passed by the human soldier that escaped the wrath of Wil and Haldis. He rounded a turn and ran past the two dwarves, not even sparing them a look as he fled for his life. Rom giggled, which prompted an answering giggle from Kendrac. Within moments, the two dwarves were rolling on the floor with laughter. Rolling back down the tunnel. As the two mirthful dwarves reveled in their humor, they rolled into a small niche that had remained unnoticed up until now.

"Awk!" Kendrac yelped as his blond head cracked on a rock. "Who put dat dere?"

Rom giggled. "Not Rom."

"RUM!" Kendrac hollered accusingly.

Rom reached up to grab a bit of rock that jutted out, in order to pull himself to his feet, and blinked as the stone moved, and the walls parted. "Oooooooo" 

Kendrac blinked and stood up, gathering his robes around him as he watched the portal open. "What Rum do?"

The bucket wearing dwarf shrugged. "Rom not do nuthin...Klerk hit head...Klerk fault." He nodded as he peered into the blackness of the tunnel. "We goes look?"

Kendrac tilted his head, thinking hard, and finally nodding. "Yupyup. We's go look...smash baddies"

Rom nodded in return and started forward at a run, only to be pulled backwards by Kendrac.

"Awk?" Rom exclaimed as he was pulled.

"Shhhhh...We sneak...makes with the quiet...surprise baddies!" Kendrac intoned in a rather loud whisper.

"Okies!" Rom grinned.

The two started into the tunnel, Rom's armor clanking loudly, the sounds echoing down the tunnel. Kendrac, wearing no armor at all, made no sound, other than the constant repetition of the word "sneak" over and over as he crept along behind Rom. After a few moments, the walls of the tunnel opened up, and the two entered a rather large room. Kendrac, not paying attention, walked into the back of Rom who was standing still.

"Ooof!" Kendrac muttered. "Why stops?"

"Rom thinks not alone."

"'Course not...Klerk with Rum, silly"

Before Rom could reply, torches began bursting to life around the room, revealing the cavern to be quite a bit larger than the one they fought in recently. The ceiling was hidden by darkness, the light from the torches not reaching that high, even with the added reflection of the gold and silver coins, gems and other various bits and pieces piled high on one side of the cavern. As the two dwarves stared at the pile, a bit of drool rolled out from within the bucket, and Kendrac's eyes opened to the size of saucers.

"OOOOOOO...shiny!!" They both intoned.

"Not the normal response when one sees my collection." Came a deep rumbling voice from the other side of the cavern.

The two dwarves turned, and looked up, into a pair of large golden eyes, the pupils alone larger then either of them. A great horned head encompassed the eyes, and directly beneath the head, a rather large maw filled with razor sharp teeth, also larger than the two dwarves. A large reptilian body snaked out behind the head, with two leathery wings tucked in tight to the beast's flanks. Giant limbs held the creature off the ground, each one ending in deadly white talons, and a long sinuous tail lay coiled around one of the rear legs. Completing the fearsome image was the bright color of red reflecting off the scales of the dragon. It lowered its head and examined the two intruders intently.

"eep?" said Kendrac, hiding behind Rom.

"DRAGON!!" Shouted Rom, who clapped his hands with glee and started towards the great beast. 

"EEEEP?" Asked Kendrac, realizing his hiding place left. 

The dragon's head lifted suddenly, canting slightly to the side, an almost amused look on its reptilian visage. With a deep chuckle, it inhaled deeply, then lowered its head and breathed, unleashing a gout of flame towards the two dwarves, engulfing them completely.

"Such is the fate of all who seek the treasure of Kryllanshillain." The dragon intoned.


	13. Chapter 13

-1

Armin, Haldis and Wil started down the tunnel once more at a trot, weapons at the ready.

"Yerselfs be ready." Armin said. "Gnolls ain't th' brightest, but what they be missin' in smarts, they make up fer in numbers. Hit em hard an' fast."

The other two nodded their understanding and tightened their grips on their weapons. They continued down the hallway, and burst into a room. Standing on the other side of the room, blocking their way, were two lanky humans, both wearing robes. The shorter of the two had a young woman, an elf held tightly, the blade of a knife against her neck. The other tapped his staff on the ground twice as the three dwarves skidded to a halt.

"What are'ye 'bout then?" Armin asked, readying his axe as Haldis and Wil moved to the sides. 

"Simple, my dear dwarf," replied the staff wielding human. "We are going to kill you."

Armin snorted and started forward, but stopped almost as quickly as the smaller mage moved to stand before the other one, placing himself and the elven female in the way.

"Come any closer, and her blood is on your hands." The shorter mage spoke with obviously false bravado, his voice near to cracking at each word, yet he stood his ground, the blade held tight against the neck of the woman.

Armin scoffed. "Bah...she jus' be an elf. Dinna make no matter t'me if she lives er dies."

The young elf's eyes widened as she tried to struggle against her captor. Haldis muttered a few words and motioned towards the mage holding the girl. His eyes blinked once then twice, then closed, his body falling to the floor, sound asleep. The elven girl shrieked and wriggled free from him as the taller mage quickly began casting and motioning. Three bolts of energy burst from his hand and flew towards Armin, striking him in the chest. He looked down at the scorch marks on his breastplate.

"Umm...ow?" He snickered and started towards the mage.

The mage's face went white as a ghost and turned to flee, but only managed a step before Wil's hammer came flying across the room, impacting his head and caving it in. He slumped to the floor, dead. The elf cowered in the corner of the room as Armin walked up to her.

"Yerself ain't got nuthin' ta fear from us, lass," He tried to assure her, but his gruff voice and bloodied appearance did nothing to sooth the girl.

Haldis walked over to Armin and the elf girl and smiled. "He's all heart lass...we saved yerself, yes?"

The girl nodded, blinking away tears.

"See? dinna let him worry ye none," she offered a hand to the girl and helped her to her feet. "Now ye run yerself down th' way we come, and out the way they brung ye in and ye'll be free."

The girl looked to the three, then fled down the tunnel. Armin shook his head. 

"Elfs...bah!" He then looked to Haldis. "Didn't figger ye fer a spell thrower, lass. Nice work." He walked over to the sleeping mage and proceeded to tie him up.

Haldis grinned. "Cleric. I ain't big on th' healin' spells, but I got a few others what come in handy."

Wil clapped her on the shoulder with a grin. "Well done!" She then looked at Armin. "We git a gnoll huntin now?"

Armin nodded, and the three left the room and continued down the tunnel.

Strom readied his axes, the arm with the bolt hanging a bit lower than the other, blood seeping from the wound. "Ye ready?" He asked Toren.

The bald dwarf nodded his head once as he lifted up his maul and started it spinning over his head. "Aye…ready an able. Ye take the left, I gots th' right"

Strom grunted in response, and limped to his left, the giant's right head following the braided dwarf's movement. Toren moved right, occupying the ettin's second head.

"Brunk smash bald dwarf good." the left head grumbled. He lifted his arm raising his massive club to swing. At the same time Grack, the second head, grinned at Strom and raised his club. As they moved, the two dwarves darted away from each other. The ettin's great clubs crashed down, impacting the ground, smashing nothing but dirt, but raising a great cloud of dust. Each side of the giant tried to pursue their respective dwarf, and went nowhere.

"Grack lead. Smash dwarf!"

"No! Brunk smash dwarf first!"

"NO! Grack first"

As the two heads argued, Toren and Strom circled around behind, grinning at each other. With a nod, Toren began to spin his maul around his head once more, building up momentum, before sending off a mighty blow aimed at the giant's back. At the same time, Strom ducked forward underneath the spinning maul aiming his axes at the Achilles' tendon. Both heads screamed in pain as the giant stumbled forward, his left leg buckling under the weight of the creature.

"OW! You hurt us." Brunk growled.

"That's the general idea…." Strom started, but was cut off as the ettin spun from his kneeling position swinging the clubs. Strom ducked the first one, but was unable to avoid the second, lower club. It hit him squarely in the chest, sending him hurtling backwards into the wall. He hit hard, and slid to the ground in a heap. The giant, using the momentum from the swinging clubs, turned and used the first club as a support to help him to his feet. Both heads swiveled around, looking for the other dwarf.

"Where dwarf? Grack asked.

"Brunk not know." The other responded.

The ettin turned, and managed about half of a step before a white hot pain shot up its groin as Toren swung his maul straight up from between the giant's legs. Both clubs dropped to the ground as the hands went to cover over the wounded area, the ettin bending over in pain. Toren stepped out from underneath and turned, swinging his maul once more, crushing Grack's skull. Spinning, Toren kept the maul moving and smacked it against the side of Brunk's head. One head crushed to a pulp, and the other senseless, the giant's body collapsed to the ground. The bald dwarf walked up onto the ettin's chest and finished the remaining head with a hard smash straight down, scattering what passed for brains all over himself and the room. He then went to the crumpled Strom and knelt beside his unmoving form.

"Strom? Yer livin'?" Toren prodded Strom with a finger.

"L…longer than yerself….if ye keep poking me" Strom managed, spitting out a bit of blood, along with a few teeth.

Toren chuckled. "Shoulda know'd yerself wasn't gonna let a single ettin git the best o ye." He extended a hand and helped the other up. He then looked around the room. "We'd best be gittin' goin.' We ain't done yet. Yer up to it?" He asked, looking back at Strom.

"Aye….I be ok. Jus' got th' wind knocked outta me. I be a'right." He leaned against the wall and shook his head, clearing the cobwebs, before nodding to Toren. "'K…lets go."

The two dwarves readied their weapons and started down the hallway the giant had used.


	14. Chapter 14

-1Armin, Haldis and Wil ran down the tunnel, armor clanking loudly. The three rounded a corner and into a large round room filled with a score or more of gnolls, large hyena-like creatures wearing armor and carrying crude axes. They howled deafeningly and shook their axes and shields in the air. One large gnoll in the back yipped out commands, and the others charged forward towards the dwarves.

"Pick yer targets. Knock em down first, we can kill em later!" Armin bellowed as he plucked a hand axe from his weapons harness and hurled it at one of the gnolls, imbedding in its chest. He raised his massive battle axe and charged into the fray.

Haldis muttered a few words as she entered the room. Her axe began to glow slightly as she closed on the gnolls. She raised the glowing weapon and brought it down hard on the first gnoll, opening a huge gash in its chest, the wound literally smoking. She side-stepped the stumbling creature and moved on to the next one. She ducked the clumsy swing and brought her axe up, lopping the arm off at the elbow. The creature howled in pain as it fell, clutching at its stump. Haldis spun and stomped on the foot of a third gnoll, which dropped its axe to grab at the foot Haldis grinned through her beard and jammed the haft of her axe into its gut. When it doubled over, she rotated the axe up, imbedding the blade into its face, splitting its snout and dropping the creature.

Wilhemina grinned as she saw Haldis boost her weapon.

"Nifty, but check this out….an' hold yer ears!" she grinned as she moved towards the gnolls, mouthing a few words under her breath.

She reared back with her hammer and spoke a word of power, activating the runes etched into the head of the weapon. She brought the hammer down on the first gnoll, crushing the ribcage. As the head of the hammer made contact with the gnoll, a thundering boom rolled through the room, shaking the floor and sending the gnolls nearest to Wil to the ground. She laughed heartily and swung her hammer around, smashing the shoulder of another gnoll. Using the falling gnoll as a launching pad, she ran up the creature's body and leapt into the air, bringing her hammer down on the top of the head of a third, the thunder rumbling through the stone room.

Armin blinked and nearly lost his grip on his axe as the thunder rattled him inside his armor.

"What in the hells?" He glanced at Wil. "Warn a dwarf 'afore ye do something' that."

He grinned and thrust his axe forward into the stomach of a gnoll, the spear point imbedding deep into the creature. The red bearded dwarf winked at the dying gnoll and lifted the axe, gnoll and all, over his head and threw them at two other creatures dropping them into a pile of limbs, axes and fur. He quickly pulled a sword from his harness, just in time to block a downward slicing axe. He reached out and grabbed the attacking gnoll's axe arm and pulled it down towards his face, whereupon he head butted the creature, knocking it senseless. Armin turned as an axe glanced off his shoulder pauldron, and thrust his blade into the knee of the offending gnoll. Remaining in motion, he pulled a flail and mace from his weapons harness and advanced on the remaining gnolls, most of which were fleeing down the tunnel on the opposite side of the room.

"An' don't ye be comin' back." Armin taunted.

The three dwarves began to examine the gnolls that they had beaten, finishing off any living creatures, and searching the bodies of the slain. Unbeknownst to the stout warriors, one gnoll watched them, invisible, thanks to a ring worn on his left hand. He watched with hatred as the dwarves went about their business, slaying his warriors. The two female dwarves were too far away to take revenge upon, but the red bearded weapon heavy dwarf was close enough to kill with one shot. The gnoll leader suppressed a chuckle as he quietly lifted a crossbow to his shoulder, aiming the magical bolt at the dwarf. The red shield the dwarf wore on his back would not protect him from this bolt, the gnoll mused. Along with the ring, he had aquired quite a few magical odds and ends. There, he though. This is too easy. With a toothy grin, he squeezed the firing mechanism of the crossbow and fired the bolt. He became visible as the bolt hurtled towards the unaware dwarf. Haldis saw the gnoll become visible and tried to shout a warning, but was too late. The gnoll's grin faltered however, as the bolt slowed to a stop a few inches from hitting the shield. It turned and sped back to the gnoll, piercing it's forehead, killing it instantly. As it slumped to the ground, Wil and Haldis looked at Armin, who was busy wrenching his axe free from his gnoll projectile.

"What?" he asked.

Haldis and Whil shook their heads and pointed to the dead gnoll with a perplexed look in its vacant eyes.

The young red dragon chuckled to herself as she watched the smoke clear. The two dwarves were fools indeed, she thought, to have come after her horde alone. I must remember to chastise Malchion for letting vermin like that into my tunnels. Impatiently, she lowered her head and blew a gust of air from her nostrils, clearing the smoke that obstructed her view of her ill gotten gains. As the smoke cleared, she blinked. Was there someone still in the room with her? A figure seemed to be standing where the dwarves were moments before. Another gust of air and the rest of the smoke was blown away, revealing an unharmed dwarf, staring at the dragon.

"Not nice…nope nope." Rom sniffed. "Rom and da Klerk come to visit and you spits da fire, hurtin' da Klerk. Why you hurt da Klerk?

Klerk, Kryllanshillain thought. What is this dwarf talking about? And how did he survive my flame? The other dwarf perhaps, she mused. No matter. She stepped forward and lowered her head to be level with Rom.

"I do as I wish to intruders, as I always do." she rumbled

"Rom likes dragons, but Rom not like you, nope nope." Rom replied and reared back with his frying pan and smacked Kryllanshillain on the nose. She drew her head back sharply, more stunned than hurt.

"YOU DARE?!" She roared. "Now you die a painful death. I will scrape your insides from your skeleton one organ at a….."

"Yeah….you like Armin….talk to much." Rom replied as he ran forward. He managed only a few steps before he tripped over something on the ground. He fell forward, planting his helmeted face on the ground, conveniently avoiding the dragon's tail as it swiped across the area he was recently occupying.

"Woops!" He mumbled as he rolled to his feet, giggling. "Fall fall down go boom." came a voice from Rom's right. He turned towards the direction of the voice and blinked. There, apparently floating in mid-air, was Kendrac's head, complete with blond curls and giant grin. He pursed his lips. "Shhh….Klerk invisdable!"

Rom snickered and shook his head. "Not all….head floaty….Klerk funny."

Kryllanshillain tilted her head as she watched the dwarf and the head talk. Are they daft, or had they completely forgotten about me? She frowned at the thought. How dare they ignore me? I'll show them. She lifted a massive clawed leg and slammed it down on the ground, then started towards them. The force of the leg hitting the ground sent the two dwarves bouncing across the floor in different directions.

"Ow! Oof! Unk!" the two dwarves cursed and grunted as they were bounced about. Rom struggled to his feet and Kendrac's head rose up a bit. "Rum do what Rum do…Klerk cast da mighty spells!"

Rom nodded, his bucket helm shaking itself around the dwarf's head, blocking his view. With a battle cry, Rom charged the wall, running full force into it and knocking himself on his rear. Kendrac sighed.

"Silly Rum. Dragon that way!" He pointed at the dragon and started to cast a spell, which sounded less like a spellcasting, and more like a recipe for banana pudding.

A flash of light burst into being directly in front of the dragon's eyes. She roared, and Kendrac giggled. He skipped over to the prone Rom and knocked on his bucket helm.

"'lo? Anyone home?" He asked, grabbing for one of the pouches on Rom's belt. "Wake-y wake-y!"

Rom groaned and struggled to his feet. He pulled the bucket helm off of his head, dropping it on the ground. His thick wiry black beard popped up and out, smacking the now helm-less dwarf in the face. With a curse, he pushed the beard down, tucking it into his belt. He then kicked the helm.

"Hat defect..def….broke….Rom not see good." he grumbled. "Now Rom see to smash dragon."

With a huge grin, he charged towards the dragon, clucking like a rabid chicken. The dragon blinked rapidly, trying to get rid of the spots; She heard but did not see Rom as he closed. He swung his frying pan with all of his might, connecting with the her front knee. As the pan connected with her knee, her lower leg snapped forward suddenly. The taloned foot caught Rom, sending him flying backwards into the wall once more.

"Woopsie daisy" Rom giggled as he slid down the wall! "Not do that again!"

Rom shook his head and ran forward again, ducking under the snapping jaws of the dragon, head lowered. He ran completely underneath the dragon as she tried to turn to follow. As Rom and the dragon fought, Kendrac opened the pouch he took from his companion and reached inside. He rummaged around for a moment, then grinned.

"Ah-hah!" he exclaimed as he pulled out a live, squawking, flapping and crapping chicken. He held the fowl by wing tips, and began to cast another spell.

"I likes to JUMP! and I likes to STOMP

and sometimes I think I am a DUCK

but Rum has friends that only him sees,

and all they say is CLUCK CLUCK!_"_

As he finished the casting, he tossed the chicken into the air. With a flurry of feathers and clucks, the one terrified chicken became three score of chickens, all bent on attacking the dragon. White feathers flew as the chickens swarmed the red dragon, pecking and clawing and flapping around her face. She snapped at the birds, snaring some in her massive mouth. Frustrated by the birds, the dragon thrashed about violently. Her tail connected with Rom, knocking him down, and sending his iron skillet bouncing across the room. He scrambled back to his knees and to his feet, just in time to catch the tail as it came back towards him. He wrapped his arms around the appendage and held on for dear life as the tail thrashed about again.

"WEEEEEEEEE" Rom squealed as he was thrown about.

Kendrac launched himself into the throws of another spell, coating the floor of the cavern with grease. Unfortunately, the dragon's claws gave her the ability to remain standing and thrashing. The same could not be said for Kendrac, who immediately fell on his arse upon completing the spell.

"AWK!" He shrieked as he fell.

Kryllanshillain snarled as she turned herself around and around, chasing her tail, and the dwarf currently attached to it. She shook her head as she turned, trying to dislodge the chickens that still plagued her, cracking her head on the side of the wall and staggering her and sending her stumbling into the pile of coins and treasure that made up her horde. A horrendous crash and roar accompanied her as she landed on her side, scattering coins and gems everywhere.


	15. Chapter 15

-1

The roar reverberated down the tunnels of the underground complex. In one room, Malchion tilted his head. Drevis looked to his commander and shuddered. He had never seen that look from him before. He had never known Malchion to show fear.

Down a different tunnel, Armin, Haldis and Wil looked at each other.

"Oh….what do ye s'pose them two got into now?" Armin asked, shaking his head. Before the other two could reply, he hefted his axe and started running down the tunnel. Haldis and Wil looked at each other, shrugged, and ran after him.

In a different section of the complex, Toren and Strom paused.

"What was that?" Strom asked?

Toren shrugged. "Beats me…but I'll bet ye two kegs that loon and his friend are involved."

Strom chuckled. "I'll take that bet. Lets check it out."

Toren nodded and the two started down the tunnel towards the sound. They rounded a bend and immediately skidded to a stop, nearly bowling over Armin and the other two dwarves females.

"Good ta see ye made it." Armin grinned, though his smile faded as he looked over Strom. "yer a'right?"

Strom nodded. "I been better."

Haldis walked over and looked over Strom. "Yer not so bad….here….let me." She began to chant softly, her hands glowing slightly. Strom blinked as the worst of his open wounds began to close.

"Nice trick." Strom nodded his approval. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by another ground shaking roar coming from a side tunnel. "Ye thinking' what I be thinking?"

The other dwarves all nodded in agreement, and Toren gave voice to their thoughts. "Those gravel heads…its gotta be." He shook his head. "I suppose we oughta go see what kinda trouble they are in?

With a chorus of agreeing grunts, the five dwarves hefted their weapons and started down the tunnel, following the sounds of the roars. They stopped suddenly as another roar shook the foundations of the mountain, raining rock on the heads of the dwarves. Once the rubble stopped falling, they stood, brushed off the dust and looked at each other.

"That was different." Wil mused. "More like something' big hittin' th floor."

Armin hefted his axe, adjusting his grip on the haft of the weapon. "Just around th' corner. Best ta be careful."

The dwarves moved around a final bend. Haldis quirked a brow as a small white feather drifting towards them caught her eye. He motioned to her companions, and received shrugs all around. She blew the feather away as it drifted past her and she continued on with the others. As they entered the giant chamber, they gawked at what they saw. A red dragon lay on its side, both wings twisted and bent. Four rather large stone hands protruded from the ground, each one clutching one of the arms or legs of the dragon. Even more bizarre was that the dragon seemed to have its tail in its mouth. There did not seem to be a large amount damage to the creature, but it was definitely dead. Scattered about the vast room were the carcasses of dozens of chickens, lying about on a floor covered in grease. And there, atop of the dragon was Kendrac. He was jumping up and down on the belly of the beast.

"Gimme back da Rum!!" He shouted.

The other dwarves could only stare at the scene before them. It was Haldis that finally broke their silence. "Err…Kendrac lad? Ye mind telling us what's going on here?"

Kendrac, startled, shrieked and tripped over a scale as Haldis spoke. He tumbled off the beast's body and landed on his rear on the ground. He looked at them, and then struggled to his feet. He began explaining what happened, his words spilling from his lips at an incredible rate of speed. "WefoundadragonandgotburnedandRummsmackeditandIcastspellsandRumgrabbeditstailanditateitstailandchokedonitstailanditateRumandIcantgethimout!"

The other dwarves blinked.

"What?" asked Armin.

Toren echoed his words, as did the others.

Wil walked up to the blond dwarf and put a hand on his shoulder. "Easy kid. Are ye telling us that Rom is inside the dragon?"

Kendrac nodded, then took a deep breath. "LikeIsaidwefounda…"

"Woah!" Wil said. "Slow down."

While Wil tried to cajole information from the blubbering Kendrac, the others walked up to the massive head of the dragon. Armin set his axe down and grabbed a hold of the tail. He pulled, but it did not budge.

"Gimme a hand, yes?"

Toren, Strom and Haldis all grabbed hold of the tail and the four pulled. At first, nothing moved, but then, slowly, the tail started to come free. After five feet of tail was pulled from the mouth of the dragon, Armin called a pause.

"Ain't never seen that before." He ran a hand through his beard. "Looks like the durned beastie swallowed its own tail, choking it."

The others nodded, and started to pull once more, but stopped suddenly as the tail started to go back INTO the mouth.

"What the?" Strom exclaimed.

Kendrac, seeing this jumped up and clapped his hands with glee. "Its da Rum! Pullpullpull!!"

The others shrugged and grabbed the tail once more. With a mighty heave, they pulled the tail the rest of the way out of the dragon's mouth, bringing a soggy bald dwarf with it.

"Wheeee!!" Rom giggled. "Again?"

Kendrac ran over and grabbed Rom, and the two went to the ground, Kendrac hugging him mightily. The two rolled around in the grease still coating the floor, along with the feathers, giggling like madmen…errr…dwarves.


	16. Chapter 16

-1Armin and the other dwarfs could not help but stare at the sight before them. Rom, covered in slime from the inside of the dragon's gullet, and Kendrac, not quite as soggy as his cousin, but getting there with each roll the two made across the floor of the cavern. Both looked bruised and battered, but neither seemed to notice as they celebrated their victory. Strom just shook his head.

"I dinna believe it. It canna be possible!" Armin mumbled in disbelief.

Haldis chuckled and nudged Armin, pointing beyond the body of the dragon. "Turn yer disbelievin' eyes towards that."

Armin and the other spectators looked towards where Haldis was pointing. Their eyes could not grow larger, nor could their jaws drop any further as they stared at the huge mound of coins, gems, various vials, weapons and objects d'art.

Toren chuckled. "Makes it worth it, hmmm?"

Wil nodded in response. "Aye...it do indeed."

Rom and Kendrac finally stopped their celebratory roll as they rolled right onto the dragon's horde. They stopped and stood, also staring at the pile. Then Kendrac turned to look at the other dwarves, a smirk on his face.

"Uh-oh" Armin intoned.

Kendrac pulled Rom towards him and whispered into his ear. Rom blinked a few times, then his lips split into a wide grin, made all the more amusing by his slimy, feathered beard.

"Uh-oh" The other dwarves repeated.

"Gogogogogogogo! Outoutoutout!!" He began ushering the other dwarves out of the room.

"Wha? Stammered Strom.

"What are ye about?" Toren demanded.

"Magic time! Klerk make magic!!" Rom insisted, still trying to get the others out. "Go...make other baddies sad!"

The bald dwarf finally managed to get the other dwarves out of the cavern. Before they could voice any more protests or try to get back into the room, a yellow wall sprouted from the floor, forming a door. Strom quirked a brow and poked the wall. It gave slightly. He frowned and pushed a finger into the door, then pulled off a small hunk. He sniffed at it, then put it into his mouth, much to the surprise of the others.

"Cheese." He shrugged.

"Well, we could always eat our way in?" Toren suggested.

Wil shook her head. "Count me out. Dairy never did agree with me." she made a face, rubbing her stomach.

Armin hefted his axe. "Lets leave these two be fer now. We gots a bit more ta deal with in the tunnels still.

The five readied their weapons and started down the tunnel. It was not long before they came across more of the bandits. As they rounded a corner, they found themselves looking down onto a scene of chaos. A large round open room cut into the stone with six rooms equally spaced around the wall. A stairwell descended down in the middle of the room. A score of bandits were running this way and that, most carrying as much as they could out of the rooms and trying to escape down the stairs while avoiding the large half-orc swinging a spiked club and roaring in anger. Seven bodies lay on the ground around the orc unmoving, and three others were slowly trying to crawl away from him.

"Hmm...two kegs say that beastie be in charge." Armin whispered.

A chorus of nods answered him.

"What say we finish this?" Strom suggested. "Best not to leave them two alone fer too long."

Toren nodded. "Aye...lets."

The dwarves jumped from the precipice as one, weapons raised and battle cries coming from their lungs. The bandits froze momentarily as they looked towards the oncoming dwarves. Some dropped what they were carrying and drew weapons, while others dropped what they were holding and fled. The half-orc simply grinned and raised his club in readiness. Armin and Toren hit the ground first. The red bearded dwarf, weighted by his armor and weapons, steadied his landing with his large axe. Toren, slightly less weighted down due to his lack of armor, rolled and came to his feet, his giant maul already spinning as the two closed on the orc.

Haldis, Wil and Strom landed a few seconds later. Haldis and Wil landed easily and ran towards the fracas. Strom landed in a heap, still suffering slightly from wounds he incurred earlier. Although he landed last, he made the first attack by hurling two of his hand axes at a retreating bandit. Both axes struck the man, who dropped instantly. Strom drew two more axes and threw them at another bandit who thought to make his escape into one of the rooms. The man ran into a room and closed the door with a slam. Both axes struck the door, sticking fast. A moment later, the door eased open, revealing the bandit fixed to the door, his unseeing eyes staring at an axe blade that missed his head by a few inches. The second axe blade held his head firmly to the door.

Haldis held her axe up high as she charged. Wil moved along next to her, her hammer low under the axe of Haldis. The two warrior women reached the closest bandit. He readied two short swords and planted his feet in readiness. It did him no good. Haldis dropped her axe blade down, splitting the man's face, while the hammer of Wil came up, crushing his groin. The man flew backwards under the force of the impacts as the two dwarves continued their charge. The ferocity of their first attack had a decided effect, as five of the remaining bandits turned and fled towards the stairs.

"Bah!" Haldis yelled. "Buncha cowards!!"

The two charged towards a few other humans holding swords and shields, and an elf wielding a rapier and dagger. They made quick work of two of humans, dropping them with a single blow. The third human circled away, leading Wil away from Haldis, the two of them trading attacks. The elf remained just out of reach of the hammer swings of Wil.

"Stand still ye durned elf." She growled

The elf simply smirked and stepped towards her suddenly, thrusting with his rapier, scoring a minor hit and stepping back. She swung her hammer, but once more he danced out of range of the heavy weapon. Twice, three times, again and again he stabbed at her, and just as quickly evaded her retaliatory strikes.

"Quit yer dancin' an fight!" Her breathing was labored as the multitude of hits from the rapier was beginning to take its toll.

He stepped forward once more, his rapier piercing her shoulder. She howled in pain, but before he could withdraw his weapon, she brought her hammer up, not at him but at elf's slender sword, snapping the blade in half. Startled, he stepped back and looked at the hilt of his sword, then to Wil, and the other half of his blade still imbedded in her shoulder. With a low growl, she ran at him, bringing her hammer across his chest, crushing the bones and the organs within.

Haldis had a slightly better time dealing with her opponent, as she quickly left him devoid of his left arm and then his head. She quickly ran back to Wil to check on her.

"Yer alright lass?" She asked.

Whil nodded weakly. "Aye, but that damned pointy eared fool stuck me but good. I'm leaking."

Haldis helped her up and put an arm around her, guiding her towards one of the rooms. "Dinna worry, I'll get ye fixed right up."

She opened the door of the closest room and blinked. "Well...would ya look at that?"


	17. Chapter 17

-1Armin quickly closed with the half-orc and drew his axe across his body, aiming to put a quick end to the fight by freeing the orc of the burden of its intestines. He was denied however as the large creature showed a bit of dexterity, jumping back out of the range of the axe. He also was able to deflect Toren's maul with his spiked club. Both dwarves quickly stepped back and readied their weapons as they eyed their opponent. Malchion smirked.

"A couple of dwarves." He sneered. "It seems we will be needing new, and better minions next time."

"And a new giant." Retorted Toren.

"And Gnolls." Added Armin. "Not that it matters. Yer the only one left, and thats gonna change real quick like."

"There is more here than you know, dwarf." Grinned the half-orc as he began moving to his right.

"Ye mean that overgrowd lizard?" Armin shot back with a mocking grin "Couple o me pals are carvin' her up now."

The half-orc blinked, his guard dropping for just a moment. That was what the dwarves were counting on as they simultaneously charged towards him. Malchion was quick to recover, however and managed to raise his club in time to block Armin's axe. Enaged with the red-bearded dwarf, he was unable to block Toren's maul as it connected with the orc's kidney. Malchion howled in pain as he reeled from the blow. He lifted a leg and kicked out at Armin, pushing him back. As Armin stumbled back, the orc spun and attacked Toren, bringing his spiked club up. Toren managed to get the hilt of his maul around to soften some of the attack, but still was pushed back a few steps.

The half-orc grinned evilly as the dwarves took a moment to re-examine his potential. "More than you can handle? Come on then. You defeated my army, and my creatures, surely you can defeat me?"

Armin shrugged and charged forward, Toren starting a moment later, hefting his maul up and around, spinning his body to give the weapon more momentum. Armin moved straight towards Malchion, bellowing out a battle cry. He twisted to duck under the club of the half-orc and brought his weapon up under his club arm. The red-bearded dwarf angled his axe blade to glance off Malchion's elbow. As he brought his axe up, he twisted the bottom of the axe handle, pulling out a small cone shaped dagger, which he jammed into the armpit of Malchion. He was not fast enough to avoid the club as the orc brought it down on Armin's head, dropping him quickly to the ground.

Ignoring the small blade in his side, he turned to face Toren and was rewarded by a maul to the chest. The force of the impact pushed Malchion back, but did not drop him. Toren maintained his momentum, spinning once more to bring his maul around. Machion was quicker, however, and thrust his club into Toren's midsection. The bald dwarf grunted, and stumbled back, dropping his maul and falling backwards.

Malchion grinned and turned to face Armin, who was just beginning to stand. He had lost his axe, but did not draw another from his collection. Instead, he simply smirked and pointed at the small blade stuck in the orc's side. Malchion, confused, looked down and examined the weapon. It was ticking. Before he could grasp the blade, there was an audible click. Malchion blinked. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a thin dribble of blood. He coughed once, then fell to his knees. Weakly, he tried to grab Armin, then collapsed, eyes staring up at the ceiling of the great cavern, seeing nothing.

Toren used his maul as a crutch to haul himself to his feet and hobble over to Armin and the dead orc. Armin reached down and pulled the dagger from the body. A long needle was sticking out from the end of the cone shaped dagger. He twisted the base of the blade, and the needle snapped back into the weapon with another click. He grinned at Toren.

"I know this gnome..." He chuckled, to which the bald dwarf could only chuckle, shaking his head.

The two turned to see what had happened to their companions. Seeing them crowding around a door, Armin and Toren collected themselves and made their way towards the others.

"What ye got?" Armin asked.

"Yer not gonna believe this," Replied Haldis. "These guys musta been doin' this fer years."

She motioned at the contents of the room. There were stacked with boxes, a few open revealing gems and other trinkets. Leaning against the walls were enormous paintings, some depicting great battles, others were portraits of dandies and other ridiculously rich humans.

"Check the other rooms, but be quick. We gotta check on th' loons." Armin instructed.

The dwarves fanned out, quickly looking into each of the other seven rooms. Each room was the same, containing boxes packed full of random valuable items and extravagant paintings, save for the last room, which contained nothing but a large rolled up tapestry. It was too large to look at in the room, so Haldis and Strom carried it out into the main area and unrolled it. The others gathered around the tapestry.

"Its a castle." Toren commented."

"Aye, but an ugly one." Added Wil with a snicker.

The scene was anything but cheery. Bleak dark craggy mountains dominated the panoramic view. Dark ominous clouds covered the tops of the highest mountains, and bright white lightning illuminated the rocky peaks and valleys. About a third of the way from the top a castle was nestled into the rocks. It was ancient in design, with hundreds of arrow loops and dark window openings. A dark and winding path snaked its way up through the mountains towards massive main doors.

Haldis shuddered. "Spooky"

Armin nodded. "Aye. Leave it fer now, and lets go get the loons."

The other dwarves nodded in agreement and marched their way back to the dragon's chamber. The cheese door was no longer blocking the entrance. They walked in on a scene far different than when they left. The dragon carcass was skinned, completely. The skin was cut into large squares and neatly stacked by the skull. The meat was completely gone, but the skeleton was seemingly untouched. Kendrac poked his head out from inside the apparently empty skull, and burped. Fastened to the pie plates on either side of his head was one of the dragon's horns. He had cut the horn in half, and affixed one part to the right pan, and the other side to the other pan, creating the image of a horn through his head.

"Scooz." He giggled, which brought giggling from Rom, who was nowhere to be seen. "Klerk and Rum been buzy!"

"Buzz Buzz!" Again from Rom, wherever he was.

"Dare I ask?" Armin began?

Before anyone could respond, the dragon's hoard shifted, and Rom burst out from the pile.

"Look! I'm a dragon!" He giggled. "Roar!"

The others just shook their head.

"Klerk gots presents!" Kendrac said, shuffling over with a large pack. "Stuff with magics!"

He dropped the bag on the floor and reached in, rummaging around. After a moment, he pulled out a large warhammer, glistening with gems and with runes carved along the shaft. He handed it to Wil with a grin.

"Roar Hammer!"

Wil blinked. "pardon? ye mean _war_ hammer?"

Kendrac shook his head vigorously, the pans and horn flopping about, thumping against his ears. The weight of the horn was enough to make the little dwarf nearly lose his balance.

"Dragon's voice plus big hammer makes Roar Hammer!" He giggled.

Wil groaned, but took the hammer, shaking her head. Rom tumbled down the pile of coins to join the group.

"Me next! Rom gives next!" He yelled, grabbing the bag from Kendrac. He reached into the bag and pulled out an amulet, made from a claw. He handed it to Strom. "Makes dwarf axes sharp!"

Strom quirked a brow, but took the amulet and put it over his head. As soon as it touched his armor, it flashed, and fused to his breastplate. He blinked. So did Kendrac. He peered at it a moment, then shrugged.

"Why do I got a bad feelin' all of a sudden?" Worry was apparent in Strom's voice.

Kendrac whistled happily as he scrounged around in the bag, pulling out a shield made from a large scale of the dragon. He handed it to Haldis. She took the shield with some obvious trepidation.

"Whats it do?" She asked warily."

Kendrac blinked, and folded his arms across his chest in an apparent huff. "Shield from _RED_ dragon scale." He said, tapping his foot impatiently.

Haldis frowned, looking at the shield, and then back to Kendrac. "So...it protects me from fire?"

Kendrac blinked, frowning a bit. "From? err...Right!" He grinned and quickly turned to Toren, handing him a ring, that seemed to be made from muscle, though it was hard to the touch, and cold. Toren carefully took the ring, examining it.

"Makes baldy strong!" Rom said, making a muscle with his arm, snickering.

Kendrac nodded. "Say da magic word and baldy-locks gets super duper stong!"

Toren shrugged and put the ring on his finger. "What's the magic word?"

Kendrac and Rom both blinked and looked at each other for a moment, before looking back at Toren sheepishly.

"ummm..." They both intoned. "We forgets." started Kendrac. "But we think hard, and tell you soon!" Finished Rom.

Toren sighed and looked at Armin, who could only shrug.

Rom then poked Armin. "You last. Best for last."

Armin grimaced. "I was afraid of that."

Kendrac grinned. "Armin loaded with sharp pointy smashy things," He said, motioning to the plethora of weapons the big dwarf carried on his body. "We make magic bands. hold weapons in special place." Kendrac handed the gold bracers to Armin and flopped down on the ground.

Armin took the bracers and tucked them away. "I'll put them on later." He looked at the others. "Now, we needs to clear this place out of any other bandits and see if there are any more prisoners. Once we're done with that, we can load up the wagons with whatever we can find and head back to town. Try not to kill em all though. Mebbe we should find a prisoner or two ta take back, yes?"


	18. Chapter 18

-1INTERLUDE

Despite the unintentional best efforts of Rom and Kendrac to derail the situation, the dwarves managed to clear out the caves of the remaining bandits with little trouble. Once the former residence of the underground complex learned that their most powerful leaders were laid low by the well armed troupe of dwarves, most fled without a fight. Three score of prisoners were released from cells as well. One of the prisoners, a large human named Avery Darr, turned out to be the mayor of a nearby town. He and the other former prisoners were more than happy to take the captured bandits and the loot they had stolen over the years (at least most of it) back to the towns in the region. Avery promised the dwarves that the prisoners would be punished to the fullest extent of the law, and that the goods stolen would be returned to their proper owners if at all possible.

The dwarves in turn helped repair damaged wagons, helped load them, and escorted them away from the underground base (except for one wagon that was left behind which, for some reason Kendrac refused to explain, had square wheels). Once the caravan reached a major crossroads, it split into smaller groups and headed towards their respective towns and homes. The dwarves retained one wagon loaded with goods, weapons and whatever else they could find.

Whilhemina and Haldis remained with the other dwarves, preferring the open road to returning to their homes for the time being. Other than Armin, the other dwarves wielded their new magical items with no small amount of trepidation. Haldis eyed her new dragonscale shield with a wary eye. Whil carried her new "roar" hammer over her shoulder, while Toren fingered his ring uneasily. Rom did not seem to have anything new, though he did spend a bit of time fiddling with what appeared to be a new pouch on his belt. Kendrac sported a new set of robes, which he wore over his white robes.

The worst off though, was poor Toren. He was covered in small cuts and scratches. In fact, everything and everyone that touched him came away with cuts and scratches. As it seemed, every part of him acted as if it had a razor sharp edge. He cut himself, he cut the others, he cut his clothes, he even left scratches in the wagon and the crates within. He trudged along at the end of the line, grumbling. Kendrac occassionally would hop, or fall, off the wagon and go back to him, trying to correct his errant spell, with little success.

Having no particular goal or direction in mind, the dwarves picked a direction and started off. A few days travel found them having crossed a great plain and as darkness fell, they made camp at the base of the foothills of a mountain...


	19. Chapter 19

-1Armin and the other dwarves sat around the campfire. Haldis managed to catch a few rabbits, and they now sat spitted over the fire. Dark clouds were rolling in over the mountains and thunder could be heard in the distance. Strom, still bandaged and bleeding from his unfortunate magical item from Kendrac, leaned back against a large rock.

"I'm gonna kill him, ye know?" He said to Armin.

Armin shook his head. "Take it easy, Strom. He had good intentions. 'sides, he's tryin' to fix ye."

Strom nodded. "Aye...that's what I'm afraid of."

Kendrac chose that moment to come over to Strom, holding something in his one hand, and holding up his new robes in the other.

"Klerk fix Grumpy!" He grinned.

Strom glared, but said nothing. Kendrac kneeled at his side and began rolling a small object around in his hands as he began muttering. Swaying back and forth he dramatically raised his hands to the heavens, then slammed his hand down on the maligned dwarf. Strom blinked and looked down. The little blond dwarf had covered the dragonclaw amulet with a handful of mud.

"Wha?" Strom began. He stood up, lifting Kendrac up by his beard "That's it. Yer..." He stopped suddenly, staring at the grinning little dwarf.

Wil, watching, spoke up. "What's wrong?"

Strom slowly lowered Kendrac. "I didn't cut 'im! The little goofball actually did it." He grinned, then glared at the magic wielding dwarf. "Keep yer distance, ye got me?"

Kendrac shook his head and tapped the hand Strom was still holding on to him with, and grinned. "Nopenope...you gots me!"

Strom growled and shoved the little dwarf back towards Rom, then looked at Armin. "I'll take first watch."

Armin could not help but chuckle a bit as he pulled the rabbits from the spit. He ripped meat from the carcasses and passed it around to the other dwarves. They ate in silence, until the storm reached their campsite. Lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating the skyline. Soon the sky opened, and rain began to fall on the dwarves. Still grumbling, Strom stood and walked off into the night, to begin his patrol of the surrounding area. Haldis thumped Toren on the shoulder.

"What are ye starin' at?" She asked.

He pointed up towards the mountains above them. "What a sec...there!" Lightning flashed again. "Did ye see it?"

Armin peered into the darkness. "See what?"

"The castle from the wall rug. I just seen it!" Toren insisted.

Wil chuckled. "Yer daft..." She trailed off as another flash of lightning lit up the area, revealing the castle depicted in the tapestry they found in the bandit's lair. Her jaw dropped open a bit. "Well...how 'bout that?"

Armin, looking in the direction the others were looking, shook his head. "Huh...thats kinda spooky."

Rom and Kendrac, not seeing anything of course, just giggled. "Ooooooooooo!" intoned Rom.

From outside the camp, someone or something imitated Rom's sound. Armin, Toren, Haldis and Wil were up in an instant, reaching for weapons. Rom and Kendrac grabbed each other.

"What dat?" Rom asked.

"Werewolf?" Replied Kendrac

"Where a wolf?"

A twig snapped. Kendrac pointed into the darkness. "There a wolf!" He turned and ran, muttering as Rom followed closely on his heels.

The others readied their weapons. From the darkness a figure appeared. It was no werewolf, but some variant of undead. Rotting flesh hung loosely from its bones. One eye hung from an eye socket, and a sickly green glow emanated from the empty socket. Four arms hung from the shoulders, as the creature shuffled towards them through the rain on three mismatched legs. Armin had a look of disgust as he raised his axe.

"Dinna bother." Haldis said casually. She lifted a medallion from around her neck and raised it towards the creature and spoke a word of power. The undead creature twitched, then, with an unholy howl, collapsed into dust.

Toren tilted his head somewhat towards Haldis. "A good trick."

She grinned. "Aye."

Armin walked over to the pile of now mud that was the undead abomination. "What do ye s'pose that was?" He asked.

Whil shrugged, looking around a bit. "I dunno, but somehow I think its connected to that castle."

Toren's shoulders slumped. "I knew someone was gonna say that."

Armin opened his mouth to comment, but stopped as the sound of something crashing through the wet branches. He readied his axe. A shape burst into the light of the campfire, and Armin raised his axe to attack.

Strom skidded to a sudden stop, arms raised. "Woah! don' kill me!"

Armin shook his head, lowering his head and axe. "Don't do that!"

Strom, out of breath, nodded. "Aye...but i gotta tell ye that this place is haunted. I just seen some sorta nasty zombie thing shufflin towards th' camp!"

"Haldis turnt it into dust already." Toren motioned to the pile of mud.

Catching his breath, Strom nodded, then looked around. "Hey...where are th' loons?"

Armin and the others looked around, then Armin groaned, pointing towards a tree. "There's Rom, hiding behind a tree."

Strom looked. "Oh...and th' other one?"

Whil shook her head. "He IS the tree."

Toren blinked. "oh!"


	20. Chapter 20

-1The remainder of the night passed uneventfully. Well, at least as uneventful as a night can be where Rom and Kendrac are involved. Once the undead creature was dispatched and the other dwarves sat around the fire, Rom peered his head from around the klerk tree.

"Stinky spooky thingee gone?" He asked nervously.

"Yes Rom, its gone." Haldis responded. "Its safe now."

"Okey Dokey!" Rom walked over to the fire and pulled out a long stick from one of his pouches. Something small and white was stuck on the end. He placed the stick over the flames and watched. After a moment, he frowned. "Fire not hot. Need more wood. Rom fetch."

He picked up an axe and started towards the trees. After examining them for a few moments, he selected one.

Noticing what particular tree Rom was about to cut down, Toren lifted his arm to catch the little dwarf's attention. "Errr...Rom? I don't think..."

Armin cut him off. "Just wait, Tor."

Toren shrugged and turned to watch, as did the others. Rom spit into his hands and rubbed them together. He grabbed the axe, took a couple of practice swings, stuck a finger into his mouth and then pointed the finger up to check the wind. He hefted the axe and took a mighty swing.

He missed. He missed because the tree moved a foot backwards. The momentum of the axe slicing through the air spun Rom around twice before he fell on his arse.

"Ooopsie?" Rom shook his head and stood up. He reset himself and took another swing. Again the tree jumped backwards out of the range of the blade. "Wha?"

Rom growled and charged the tree, which turn and ran into the night.

"Shouldn't we, um...stop him?" Toren asked.

"Armin shook his head. "Nope. Let 'em burn some energy."

Morning found the group short two dwarves.

"Where are they?" asked Strom.

Armin was about to answer when the sound of someone or something approaching interrupted him. The dwarves turned, reaching for weapons. Walking up from the woods came Rom, carrying a single log, and the axe. Kendrac was no where to be seen.

Haldis furrowed her brow and looked around. "Ahh...Rom? Where's Kendrac?"

Rom dropped the log on the nearly burned out fire and looked at Haldis, shrugging. "Dunno. Too busy chasing tree."

You...ah...didn't catch the tree, did you?" asked Wil, albeit hesitantly.

Rom shook his head. "nope...got lost, tripped over door." He grinned. "but found log!"

The others sighed a collected sigh of relief. They started to collect their belongs when Strom spoke up.

"Wait. where IS Kendrac?"

Rom looked up. "Not sure. Heard sounds from door, but then found log."

The others looked at each other. Three kegs say that door gets us to that castle." Strom said, indicating the castle in the mountains, partially obscured by the morning mist.

Haldis shuddered. "Ain't takin that bet."

Armin stood, slinging his red shield onto his back. He bounced the bracers in his hands, then slid them onto his wrists.

Toren cocked his head. "Kendrac's bracers?"

Armin nodded. "Spent part o me watch loadin it with me weapons." He banged them together while saying the word 'sword,' and his shortsword appeared in his hand. "seems ta work, fer now."

Once the dwarves were ready, they followed Rom to the door in the ground. After circling multiple trees multiple times, crossing and re-crossing their path, they finally found it. It was probably a hundred years old if not more. It was partially open, enough to allow a small dwarf to slip through. The entrance was up against a slight rise, and rough stairs were visible behind the rotting doors. Toren reached down and grabbed the iron ring that apparently served as a handle. It came free with the barest of tugs, letting Toren fall backwards. Armin caught him and chuckled.

"Best ta use yer foot, eh?" He suggested.

Toren nodded, walked forward and forcefully placed a foot into the door. The hinges easily and noisily gave way and the door, along with a cursing Toren, collapsed down the stairs.

"Silly baldy-locks." Rom giggled.

Strom shook his head. "So much fer bein quiet, eh?"

Whil smirked. "If Kendrac is already in there, bein' quiet now ain't gonna help."

Strom nodded. "Point taken."

Rom tried to push the others into the entrance. "Gogogo! Find da Klerk!"

They moved down twenty steps until they reached a rough hewn floor, and Toren.

"Tunnel is old...five hundred years mebbe. Basic, nothin' fancy." He pointed down the passageway. "Goes fer a ways, then starts up. Slight grade."

"Take point. Strom bring up th' rear." Armin looked at Haldis. "Gonna need yer spells no doubt."

Haldis nodded, and the dwarves started down the tunnel single file. Toren took the lead, his maul in hand. Armin followed. He spoke the word "crossbow" to summon the ranged weapon from his bracers. With a slight pop, a crossbow bolt appeared in his hands. He frowned.

"Crossbow!" He growled, and a this time, he was rewarded with the crossbow appearing in his hands. Grumbling, he loaded the bolt into the channel of the weapon and pulled the string back.

Whil followed behind Armin, grinning a bit at the red haired dwarf's troubles. She hefted her gift from Kendrac, her "Roar" hammer, and trudged along. Haldis followed Whil, wielding her red dragonscale shield and her axe.

"Sneak. Sneak. Sneak." Whispered Rom as he clanked along behind the two female dwarves. The sticks on his bucket helm scraped occasionally along the ceiling, and his mismatched armor banged against the walls. He carried his frying pan in both hands.

Behind him, shaking his head, came Strom. He kept his distance from the others, staying back thirty feet or so, and keeping his body somewhat sideways, to allow himself to keep an eye behind the group. He carried twin axes in his hands. Despite his vigilance, he never saw the shadows creeping along the wall behind them.


	21. Chapter 21

-1With Toren in the lead, the dwarves marched through the roughly carved tunnel. Aside from a few cracks and fissures that opened in the rocks due to age, they found no side passages or open areas. The tunnel began to slope upwards gradually, and after a short time they came to a split. The right passage seemed to move upwards at a slightly steeper incline, whereas the left appeared to descend. The dwarves gathered together to discuss their options. Rom clucked nervously.

Strom eyed Armin. "Yer thinkin' o splittin up?"

Armin shook his head, much to the relief of Strom. "Not yet. I dinna want to do that unless we gotta." He looked at Rom. "Which way ye think he went?"

Rom blinked owlishly at Armin. "Who?"

Armin sighed. "Kendrac."

"Klerk?"

"Yes, Rom. Which passage do you think he took?"

Rom peered down each passageway multiple times, then finally pointed to the left. "Thattaway!"

Armin nodded, and motioned for Toren to take the lead up the right tunnel, and the group, somewhat confused, headed after him. This passageway was definitely steeper than the previous, and built more recently. Toren estimated that it was carved only a hundred years before. Another hour found them at the base of a set of stairs, spiraling upwards into the darkness.

"Ooooo..." Rom intoned, staring up.

Wil shook her head. "Ain't gonna like this. I don' like heights."

Strom grinned. "Then don' look down, hmm?"

Whil thumped him on the shoulder, then looked to Armin. "Why'd ye ask him which way, then go th'other way?"

Armin pulled his waterskin from his shoulder and took a drink before answering. "Been around him enough ta know. Whatever way they say, go th'other way." He looked up the stairs, then shrugged. "Guess we go up."

And up they went. The stairs were carved from the solid pillar of stone, and only jutted out about two feet. each dwarf kept on hand on the wall and the other on the dwarf in front them. Only Toren seemed unconcerned, his maul casually resting over his right shoulder as he moved up the stairs. an hour passed before they reached the summit. A platform made of wood connected the top of the pillar with a cave cut into the wall. A quick check confirmed it was in good shape, and the dwarves crossed quickly, and one at a time. Rom paused and looked over into the darkness below.

"Ooooh...long fall. Dwarf go bouncy bouncy." He giggled.

Strom shook his head. "No Rom. No bouncy. Dwarf go splat."

Rom blinked, then shuddered, then quickly joined the others. At the back of the cave a panel was open, revealing a passageway. Unlike the previous tunnels, this was no carved out natural rock, but built stone ceiling, floor and walls. Bone torches in skull shaped sconces lined the wall, each one burning with an eerie green flame. The hallway stretched into darkness interrupted only by dots of green light. Evenly spaced along each wall were doors, approximately 20 feet apart. Just passed the limit of their sight, the sound of a door slamming could be heard, along with a giggle.

"KLERK!" Rom shouted. He pushed his way through the other dwarves and ran down the hallway.

Haldis sighed. "Canna make things easy, can he?" She hefted her shield and axe and nodded towards the dwindling bucket headed dwarf. "C'mon then."

With a collective sigh, the others nodded their agreement and headed off after Rom. A few moments later found them still walking down the door lined hallway. Of the two other dwarves, they could see nothing, but they could hear them. It sounded as if they were opening and closing the doors as they moved down the hallway. As they walked, the sounds began to get closer until they finally spotted one of them. A door opened out into the hall and Kendrac ran out. The door closed behind him, only to open a second later as Rom exited the same room. Kendrac crossed the hallway and opened the opposite door, Rom hot on his heels. The two ran into the room, and the door closed behind them. A few seconds later, another door opened a few rooms down the hallway. Kendrac ran out of that room and into another room. Almost simultaneously, another door opened and Rom ran out, crossed the hallway and entered a different room.

Armin and the other dwarfs could only stare in disbelief as this scene repeated over and over again, the two dwarves running from room to room. Sometimes Kendrac in the lead, other times Rom, all the while both giggling like madmen. Only Haldis grinned.

"Ingenious." She muttered.

Wil turned her head towards her. "What?"

"Its a magical trap." She pointed to a door. "Designed to keep looters at bay."

When the others looked at her, she continued. "Think about it. Th' doors are nothin but portals, to other portals. Ye line a hallway with doors, that alone is irresistible to thieves an looters. Ye open a door an walk in. The door is a one way portal to another room, or the hallway. Ye'd have 'em confused, givin yer troops time ta git down here and capture em...or whatever."

Strom shook his head. "But can ye turn it off?"

She shrugged. "Dunno. Prolly a control lever er somethin at th' other end of the hall."

Armin nodded. "Then lets go find it, yes?"

The dwarves walked down the hallway, never quite getting close enough to Rom of Kendrac to grab them as they ran from room to room. Eventually, they reached the end of the hallway. Haldis and the others began searching the walls and floor carefully.

"Ahh..." Haldis grinned as she stood up. She had been on her hands and knees, checking for tell tale signs of cracks in the floor. She out lined a square with the butt of her axe, then stepped on it. A loud crack, followed by a thump and a yelp of surprise could be heard from down the hallway. A moment later some shuffling could be heard, followed by knocking.

"Anyone home?" came Rom's voice. It was muffled.

Armin and the other dwarves quickly made their way towards the sound. Neither Rom or Kendrac were anywhere to be found, though one of Rom's helmet branches was sticking out of the crack between the door and the wall. Toren gave it a tug.

"Stuck good." He looked at Haldis. "Ye turned off the trap, but ye lost the loons."

Strom interjected before Haldis could reply. "Not that its such a great loss."

Haldis thumped him on the shoulder, then looked at Toren. "We'll get em back. Can ye get the door open?"

Toren nodded and stepped back. He took a deep breath then kicked the door. With a loud crash, the door burst open under the pressure of his iron shod boot. He stepped back and hefted his maul. The removal of the door allowed the green light to illuminate the room. It was no room, but another hallway.

Wil clapped Toren on the shoulder. "Much better than th' other door." They both grinned.

Armin looked to Strom. "Take point, Wil and Haldis next, Toren an' me will follow."

And so five dwarves entered the hallway. The same torches lit the hallway as they moved forward. They kept a dozen feet between each dwarf as they progressed. The hallway remained straight for a hundred paces before he turned to the left. Strom paused at the turn and peered around the corner. He looked back at the others and nodded, then he turned around the corner. Suddenly he shouted in alarm. His voice, strong at first, faded away quickly and by the time the others got to the corner, there was no sign of Strom.

"Bah...where'd he go?" Armin growled.

Haldis knelt on the floor where Strom should have stepped, and frowned. She muttered a few words and traced a mark on the floor. "Trap door." She pushed on the mark and the door swung upen, revealing a long dark chute.

Whil sighed. Armin shook his head. The others gathered around the hole in the floor.

Toren looked at Armin. "I ain't gonna fit."

Armin looked at him, then at the others. "Me neither. Guess that leaves you two."

Wil grinned and nudged Haldis. "When all else fails, send a woman, eh?"

Haldis grinned and nodded. "Aye."

Armin nodded. "Right. Find Strom, work yer way back up." He glanced down the hallway. "There be a castle up here somewhere. Its gotta have a main hall. Find it. We'll try an meet ye there. Listen to the stones." He rapped his knuckles on the wall.

Haldis and Wil nodded, they clasped forearms with Armin and Toren, then jumped down the chute, Wil first, followed by Haldis. Armin looked down after them a moment, then started down the hallway, crossbow in hand. Toren shouldered his maul and followed behind.


	22. Chapter 22

-1Haldis slid down the tunnel, trying to keep her arms close to her body. As she hurtled down the passageway into the darkness, a sudden fear started to creep into the back of her mind. It seemed as if the tunnel was getting smaller! While she was not quite as big as Wil or Strom, she was carrying a large shield strapped to her back. She closed her eyes and tried to will herself to shrink as a slight glow appeared below her. With a crash, she burst forth from the chute. She rolled twice and started to come to her feet when she slammed into a wall. With a grunt, she fell back onto her rear, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yer alright lass?" Came a voice from her left.

Haldis turned her head to see Wil, in a similar position, only upside down. She smirked. "Better'n you, apparently. Where's Strom?"

A shuffle called their attention to a tunnel to the left of the chute. A dirty head appeared, followed by a dirty dwarf. "I'm here." Strom said, brushing the dirt from his beard.

He walked over and helped the two to their feet. They looked around the small circular room. A solitary torch burned in a sconce on the opposite side of the chute's exit. The ceiling was low, but not so low that the dwarves could not stand upright. Cobwebs lined the ceiling and walls, and the floor was dirt. Wil kicked at a small rock.

"Well, this ain't good." She grumbled, then blinked, looking down at the rock.

"What?" Strom inquired.

Wil knelt down on one knee and pulled at the rock. A foot long white stick slipped free from the dirt. She stood up, holding the object.

Haldis blinked. "That's a bone!"

Wil nodded, tossing the bone back to the ground. She scraped the dirt around a bit, revealing more stark white bones.

"Burial chamber?" Strom offered.

Haldis shook her head. "Nah...bettin a garbage chute, er somethin'."

Wil looked at Strom, pointing down the tunnel he recently emerged from. "What's down that way?

Strom sniffed. "Dirt. And a lot of it." He shook his braided mane, sending a dirt cloud into the air. "Rough carved tunnel. Old and partially collapsed. We can git through though, its just gonna take some time, and be messy."

Wil shrugged with a grin. "If ye dinna get messy, it ain't worth doin', eh?"

The other two nodded in agreement, and the three began to crawl and dig their way through the tunnel.

Toren and Armin walked down the passageway far above Haldis, Wil and Strom. More green fire torches lined the walls. After a few dozen feet, the passage widened to allow the two to walk side by side. Armin cradled his crossbow and Toren rested his maul across his left shoulder. They moved quickly, not bothering to be quiet. Suddenly Armin stopped, putting an arm out to stop Toren. He tilted his head.

"What?" Asked Toren.

"Dunno...thought I heard...giggling." Armin replied.

"Th' loons?"

"Mebbe..." Armin's reply was cut off as a loud crash reverberated down the hallway.

The two dwarfs took one look at each other, then took off at a run towards the sound. Their armored boots defeaning as they pounded the stone in a rush. They ran down the hall and came out into a square room. The two skidded to a halt and looked around. There were doors on three of the four walls and the floor was littered with shards of wood and dirt, cobwebs and bones. The door on the left was partially buried by a collapsed wall. Large boulders and stone barred access to the room. The door in front of them was closed, and the room on the right had its door hanging by a single hinge. A shuffling sound could be heard from within the room. Armin returned his crossbow and called forth another weapon from his bracers.

"Hammer." He said and a hand hammer appeared in his left hand. He looked to his right hand and spoke again. "Flail." And the world went white as he and Toren were buried under a giant square of white fabric.

Cursing followed cursing as the two struggled under the weight of the fabric. Moments passed before the two freed themselves. Wild eyed, Armin snarled and kicked at the pile of white material. Strom looked at the fabric, kneeling down and studying it closer. He fingered a few rivets in the edge of the material. He looked up at Armin, trying to keep a smile from forming.

"A sail." He chuckled at last. "Seems yer magical bracers need ta work on their listenin'"

Armin growled and raised his right bracer. "FLAIL" He was rewarded with a flail appearing in his hand. With a snarl, he spun the spiked ball on the chain and started towards the partially opened door. He lashed out with his foot, destroying the door, then looked back at Strom.

"No need ta knock." and with a smirk, walked into the room.

The room looked as if a tornado had been summoned in the center. Shredded wooden was scattered in a somewhat circular pattern in the floor. Ancient tapestries, at least parts that were still attached to the walls were shredded, as if a giant cat had sharpened its claws on them. Books lay spread haphazardly amid the debris. The two dwarves moved in carefully, weapons ready. Armin knelt and picked up a small object.

"It was th' loons." He stated.

"How're ye figgerin?" Asked Toren.

Armin held up a white feather. "Who do ye know what has a thing fer chickens?"

Toren just groaned. Armin shrugged, and the two walked out of the room and opened the other door, revealing a set of stairs leading up. Like the hallways and other rooms, this too was lined with bone torches burning green.

"What is it with th' green fire?" Asked Toren.

Armin had no response. He shrugged again, and started up the stairs, Toren following behind. The stairs were rough cut into stone, and after thirty steps they reached another door. The door was wooden, and not quite closed. Armin carefully pushed the door open enough to look into the room. Seeing nothing, he pushed the door open all the way. The resulting screech of the rusty hinges. The two dwarves cringed, and Armin shot Toren an apologetic look.

Toren stepped around Armin, and moved into the room, maul readied. He moved to the right as Armin moved to the left. No sooner had they moved a few feet from the stairway, a stone wall slammed down, closing off access to the stairs. They spun around, looking at the wall, then to each other.

"Why am I gettin a bad feelin' about this?" Toren asked.

Armin opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off as a loud thunk reverberated through the room. A moment later, the grating sound of stone moving across stone pierced the air. The two dwarves looked up to see the ceiling beginning to move downwards, towards them.

"Stones." Cursed Armin.

After an hour of crawling and digging through the dirt filled tunnel, Strom finally dug his way free, followed a few moments later by Haldis and Wil. They came out of the collapsed tunnel into a devastated room. The three dwarves climbed to their feet and looked around as they brushed the dirt from their faces. The room was strewn with rubble from a cave in. The ceiling had collapsed. Strom ran his hands over the rocks.

"Cut rock." He analyzed the debris. "Earthquake mebbe, er somethin similar. Shook the hell outta this place.

Wil looked up into the darkness above them. "Any idea how far up that goes?"

Haldis looked up, then cast a quick spell. A ball of light leapt from her fingertips and travelled up. The light revealed the extent of the disaster. The opened cavern extended up many stories. The three looked up and sighed.

Haldis looked around, then to her two companions. "Only one way t' go. Up"

"First we dig, now we climb." Strom shook his head. "Bet the others ain't havin this much fun."

The three shouldered their weapons, unslung ropes and began the climb upwards.


End file.
